Gaki Baunky

The tribal village gets misty in September, letting out an atmosphere as intriguing as Hayung's family in this autumn-winter season. After Hayung's homeland was occupied, one 80-year-old man devoted his whole life to worshipping GAGA. The traditions were forgotten by his descendants after his passing... The Hayung's family represented indigenous families in Taiwan. Each tribe represents a withering big family. The eldest son Pasang joins in the election campaign, neglecting the opposition from his family. The second son, who is a farmer, is thus affected. After the election campaign, the entire family is on the verge of falling apart, and the village witnesses the snow for the first time in a very long time... With snow melting, new lives emerge. The broken family has started mending and repairing...

As a young boy, Fa'aye spent his days alongside his father deep in their lands, surrounded by towering bamboo and learning the ways of Atayal culture and knowledge. Now an elder, Fa'aye is caught between the trappings of the present day and trying to maintain a meaningful connection to his traditional territory, which has now been privatized by the state. With his young grandson in tow, Fa'aye is determined to return to the forest and reassert his duty to care for the bamboo despite the serious legal ramifications of his actions. The Crying Bamboo Forest is a remarkable first feature film that reflects the struggles and challenges currently faced by many Indigenous people living in Taiwan.