Taiwanese director Laha Mebow's (陳潔瑤) short film "Tayal Forest Club" was selected for the "A Field Guide to the Natural World" section at the 47th New York Asian American International Film Festival. The film was screened on August 11 at the Regal Cinema in Union Square, Manhattan, with Laha Mebow attending the post-screening discussion, sharing Atayal culture and touching the audience.
In 2022, Laha Mebow won the Best Director Award at the 59th Golden Horse Awards for "Gaga," becoming the first female and indigenous director to receive this honor. Her new work, "Tayal Forest Club," follows Atayal boy Yugan, who, after getting lost with friends during a visit to his hometown, encounters a mysterious drunkard by a campfire. Guided by ancestral spirits, he finds his way home, exploring themes of loneliness in urban schooling and familial regret, while imbuing these experiences with new meaning.
Laha Mebow shared that this is her first attempt at short film creation, a departure from her previous work in narrative and documentary films. The film was shot in the Nanshan tribe of the Atayal at an altitude of 1500 meters, where the cold, wet weather contrasts sharply with New Yorkers' perception of Taiwan. For the first time, she centered her work on "ancestral spirits," with a deer and a drunkard symbolizing these spirits, helping the protagonist reconnect with his identity and sense of belonging.
During the Q&A session, when asked about the challenges of shooting in nature, Laha Mebow explained that she always performs Atayal rituals before filming to show respect for the land. Despite unpredictable weather, she sees it as guidance from ancestral spirits and chooses to work in harmony with nature.
Chen Chieh-Yao stated that before each filming, she leads the crew in performing Atayal rituals as a sign of respect for the land (Photo: Ministry of Culture website)
"Tayal Forest Club" was supported by Nia Tero, Upstander Project, and REI Co-op Studios as part of the "Reciprocity Project," which aims to promote indigenous values and foster understanding of indigenous cultures through short films and multimedia platforms. Laha Mebow is the only director from Taiwan in this project.
The 47th New York Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) showcased 18 world premieres, 27 East Coast premieres, and 15 New York premieres in August.
