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Boy's love for uncle turns to shame
12 Oct
Summary
- Film depicts a boy's evolving feelings toward his uncle.
- The story is a personal narrative from the director's childhood.
- The film questions societal measures of worth and progress.
"Uncle," a film by Taiwan's Yen Hao-hsuan, explores a young boy's complex relationship with his uncle, who has an intellectual disability. The story, set in rural Taiwan from 1997 to 2000, follows the boy Wen and his inseparable uncle, A-Tsik, within a turbulent family environment. As Wen enters adolescence, his childhood affection for A-Tsik transforms into embarrassment.
The film is deeply personal, drawing from director Yen Hao-hsuan's own youth and his 18-year relationship with his uncle. Yen felt ready to tell this story after gaining enough distance to view his uncle as an individual, not just a relative or narrative material.
"Uncle" examines the societal emphasis on progress and how it can overshadow the value of individuals. It prompts reflection on those overlooked by societal advancement. The director's aim is to present A-Tsik and others like him as equals, acknowledging their full humanity, including desires and flaws.
The project is currently in development and financing, having received a Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) development grant. It has also been selected for the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market. Producers are seeking co-production partners and financiers at the Asian Contents & Film Market in Busan.
