Still Here (還在) | Award-Winning Sundance Documentary Short Film

[@flochfitness]

I came here to learn from the best short films as I new to documentary filming. Here are my takeaways: 1. There is very little "fat" in this film. There is no unneceassary shots. No unnecessary sounds. Bare bones. Everything has a purpose. 2. It's simple. The simplicity of the filming enhaces the foundation of the film. Nothing over complex. Nothing fancy. Just simple 3. In the beginning, my biggest question was, "Why is this town abandoned. I wonder if that will be revealed?" By the end, I started to care a lot less, and just enjoyed the soul of this story: Who are the people who stick around a town that becomes abandoned? What is their why? Who are they? Brilliant work. I learned a lot!

[@jiajiawu9375]

Wonderful piece. A forgotten town contains memories of people who have been living there for entire life. They won’t leave because it is everything to them. I found out every time after the elders finished their words, their eyes were seems like keep telling stories. I was really enjoying it.

[@punpun9972]

So serene and masterfully crafted. A great reminder that you don't need the flashiest subject to make a moving film.

[@BehindThePhoto]

Beautifully done. Heartbreaking and touching. It is easy to see why it won at Sundance.

[@shortoftheweek]

We totally agree! This is one of our favorites!

[@NidhinMohammad96]

This short is so perfect. It somehow easily evokes the moods from movies like A Brighter Summer Day. I love this so much.

[@ariasijiali1689]

Saw another documentary filmmaker share their notes, so here's mine: - This doc tells a simple story of people who don’t want to leave their homes, even after all their neighbors have been displaced - At the end, emphasize on the theme of “Home”- what home means, how important it is, and it’s sentimental value - The editing mostly cut to B-roll, with a few key moments of the interview remaining. When the interviewees talked, we kept seeing different B-Roll - The editing was really nice and bled into each other - Music was a very very important part of the movie. - The structure was 4 interviewees, their stories weaving into each other and then coming together on the theme at the end. - Some “group scenes” at the end for the "happy/climactic ending"

[@luiscavalcanti3431]

One of the best and breathtaking shot composition ever..... It’s not necessary to figure out why ppl moved specially based on Asian culture, but it is really bloodcurdling seeing how memories can be lost so easily along the way 😞😔

[@danialopez4322]

Vine por la recomendación de Daniela Montaguth, está increíble ❤

[@mynahlu977]

第一個阿嬤的口音和新加坡老華校生的口音幾乎一模一樣！聽起來好親切❤

[@GavinusMaximusMaster]

The Taiwanese flag at the end says it all. What a great build and lovely folks.

[@anne-mariegagnon97]

This truely moved me. Beautiful ❤️

[@emthegem8141]

Love this, cinematography and shots are breathtaking!

[@maggienguyen3361]

gosh i loved every second of this short film- i hope the residents are still doing well today

[@global_nomad.]

wonderful, so full of melancholy and yet so full of life

[@jadedmonk7001]

Summed up beautifully😊

[@ReadByTiffany]

this was beautiful! thank you for making it

[@Ady.B]

can't wait to see more from Sean Wang. This film was beautiful

[@emiliobello2538]

Hope it gets the Oscar for Best Live Action Short

[@en_pei_ge]

What a beautiful film!

[@applepieclub5012]

the granny with the sweaters 😭😭😭 I would wear all of her sweaters, if I could, just to make her happy.

[@the.hot.button]

wonderful work!

[@thelotuspad]

Knitting for lack of something else to do😮 Knitting is always my first choice of something to do😄 knit one, purl two, yarn over, pull through... calms the mind, fosters tranquility🙏 Somebody help that woman open an etsy shop so she can sell her beautiful sweaters🙌

[@BARAKABLESSING]

I agree with you!

[@arjovenzia]

defiantly made me think on the concept of "home". my folks have long since separated, there is no house to go back to. places to stay, but not home. I'd quite like a place with bones in the ground... I shall have to bring that up. Good film, Thank you.

[@EkPahadi]

Beautiful ❤and so emotional, great work. but Why people leave from here?

[@chawla7407]

Always good and entertaining movies ......❤️❤️

[@marinadourgham1140]

Love it 😍😍😍

[@RechtmanDon]

Great movie! I did notice though, they're speaking Mandarin and not Taiwanese or Cantonese. I'd be interested if someone can suggest why that might be.

[@azaleatsou2468]

I'm Taiwanese - people don't speak Cantonese in Taiwan. Elders and some younger people may speak Taiwanese, but it's relatively dying out (sadly). I'm assuming that the filmmaker doesn't speak Taiwanese; hence the Mandarin.

[@ForAnUnbrokenDuchess]

I lived and worked there for eight years - Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan. What's called "Taiwanese" is actually just a variation of the Fujian dialect, and practically no one in Taiwan speaks Cantonese.

[@mynahlu977]

They are inhabitants of a dependents’ village. These villages were built by the KMT for the troops and their dependents who retreated from mainland China after being defeated by the communists in 1949. Unlike the Minnan (aka. Taiwanese) speakers who had immigrated from Fujian or neighbouring southern provinces several centuries ago, inhabitants of these dependents’ villages were from various parts of China and mostly spoke Mandarin or their original regional dialects. From what I understand, there are some native Cantonese speakers living in these villages, but I guess being the minority, plus the aggressive promotion of Mandarin as the lingua franca during the Chiang Kai Shek era, most Cantonese speakers and their descendants would have assimilated and would use Mandarin. 😊

[@mcbluematter]

The woman at 3:40 has such a bright smile

[@donjohnson4368]

What was the premise of this story? Where is this village

[@Maheshhhhhh]

😍

[@itsm3._]

😢😢😢

[@ailings]

omg

[@rubenloup]

AAAAAAAAAA

[@nirmaltamang6319]

😖🥶🥺

[@amybowen5800]

That's it? Short of the week my ass!

[@giselaafonso]

"The word Home is so important." 🥲