Documentary ‘Beyond Beauty’ Captures Taiwan From Above
It has been said that
when the early Portuguese explorers first laid eyes
on Taiwan in the 1500s, they were so impressed
with the island’s lush green mountains and pristine turquoise shorelines that
they decided to name the place “Ilha Formosa” — beautiful island — on the spot.
More than 500 years
later, as Taiwan transforms from an agrarian society to a high-tech-dominated
economy, many of the majestic peaks that took the settlers’ breath away have been sullied by residential blocks, tea plantations, and high-end hotels. The once clear waters off its
beaches are also discolored by the massive amount of chemical waste discharged
by factories each year.
“In a way, what
happened in Taiwan is a reflection of what’s happening in many parts of the
world,” said Chi Po-lin, the director of this year’s Golden Horse Awards winner for best documentary, “Beyond Beauty, Taiwan from Above.”
The 48-year-old aerial photographer-turned-filmmaker used to
work for the government’s
National Highway Engineering Bureau, taking tens of
thousands images of the island during helicopter trips over the past two
decades.
Sitting in his small
Taipei office, lined with books on Taiwan’s landscape and geography, he said he
had long wanted to make a movie based on his photographs, but for years it
seemed like a far-fetched dream. That changed in
2009, when French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand released his aerial
documentary “Home” on climate change and global warming.
Mr. Chi said his
motivation for making “Beyond” was not to point
a finger at a certain industry or even the government, but to present a
realistic view of Taiwan’s growing environmental problems. His hope is to make
people think twice the next time they throw out the garbage or turn on the
faucet.
In
his 93-minute film, audiences are taken on a bird’s-eye journey by helicopter
across Taiwan’s various landscapes, with background music by award-winning
composer Ricky Ho. While the movie documents Taiwan’s rich biodiversity, it also bears witness to the worsening devastation wrought by
humans.
(Vocabulary)
1.
lay eyes on (phr.) 看見；放眼
2. on the spot (phr.)
當場
3.
take breath away (phr.) 屏息凝神
4.
high-end (adj.) 高檔的
5.
documentary (adj.) 紀錄片的 (n.) 紀錄片
6.
aerial (adj.) 航空的；空中的
7.
far-fetched (adj.) 牽強的；遙遠的；不著邊際的
8.
point a finger at (phr.) 指責...
9.
biodiversity (n.) 生物多樣性
10.
wrought (v.) 造成了(尤指變化)；使發生了
(5W1H):
Who:
The 48-year-old aerial photographer-turned-filmmaker, Chi Po-lin
Why:
to make people think twice the next time they throw out the
garbage or turn on the faucet.
What:
Mr.Chi made the documentary “Beyond Beauty”
When: 2009
Where:
Taiwan
How:
to present a realistic view of Taiwan’s growing environmental
problems
(Info source): http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2013/11/27/documentary-beyond-beauty-captures-taiwan-from-above/
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