We first met documentary filmmaker S.Leo Cheung in 2019 during the premiere of his film Our Time Machine in NYC and recently, thanks to a friend, reconnected here in Taipei, where Leo and his partner Dan live most of their time. In this recent conversation S. Leo Chiang, who was born in Taiwan, moved to the U.S. as a teenager and recently returned to Taipei, dives into his childhood memories to rejoice and explore the cultural significance of traditional folk art forms. His subsequent reflections on nostalgia, national identity, and the role of these spiritual practices in contemporary Taiwan offer a compelling look at the challenges and beauty of preserving an intangible cultural heritage.
This version is in English
This version has Chinese Subtitles.
More about Leo:
S. Leo Chiang is a filmmaker based in San Francisco and Taipei. His most recent film, Island in Between, received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Short Film in 2024. His previous film, Our Time Machine, played at over 50 film festivals worldwide, winning 10 awards, and was nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy Award and a Gotham Award. In 2020, he directed two episodes of the Peabody Award-winning 5-part PBS series, Asian Americans, which traces the epic history of Asians in the US over the past 200 years. His other films include Emmy Award-nominated A Village Called Versailles, about the rebuilding and transformation of the Vietnamese American community in post-Katrina New Orleans (PBS Independent Lens); Out Run, which profiles the only LGBTQ+ political party in the world; Mr. Cao Goes to Washington (Inspiration Award 2012, PBS broadcast 2013); To You Sweetheart, Aloha (PBS broadcast 2006); One + One (CINE Golden Eagle Award 2002); and Safe Journey (PlanetOut.com Short Movie Award 2002).
Featuring the following performers:
Artist Opera Troupe
Ryukyu Huagang Taiyuan Temple (Nezha Temple), LiuQiu
Liuqiu Huagan Taiyuan Gong, April 26, 2021
藝人
琉球花矸太元宮(哪吒廟), 琉球
2021 年 4 月 26 日
Min’An Opera Troupe
The Trial of Love: Tài Bái Jīn Xīng’s Journey
Fuchang Temple Sanshan King Temple in Xionglin Township, Hsinchu County
October 11, 2024
民安歌劇團
太白金星渡情劫
新竹縣芎林鄉福昌宮三山國王廟
2024年10月11日
Chen Xihuang Traditional Puppet Theater
“The Legend of Yue Fei”
At the square in front of Xinzhuang Culture and Art Center
September 14, 2024
陳錫煌傳統掌中劇團
精忠岳傳之
新莊文化藝術中心前廣場
2024年9月14日
Chen Xihuang Traditional Puppet Theater
“Sun Bin fights the Tidal Waves”
Dadaocheng Theater. Taipei, Januar 18, 2025
陳錫煌傳統掌中劇團
大稻埕戲苑
孫臏鬥海潮, 台北，2025 年 1 月 18 日
Taipei Puppet Theater
rehearsal, November 4, 2024
臺北木偶劇團 排練期間
2024 年 11 月 4 日
Su Jun Jing
“Dragon Ranger: Wanjiao Chaen”
Taipei-Fu Cheng Huang Temple, Taipei
September 10, 2024
蘇俊穎
天龍遊俠之萬教查恩
台北府城隍廟, 台北
2024 年 9 月 10 日
Chen Xihuang Traditional Puppet Theater
“The Legend of Xue Rengui”
At Shilin Mazu Temple Cìxián Gōng, Taipei
November 30, 2024
陳錫煌傳統掌中劇團
薛仁貴傳奇
士林媽祖廟慈諴宮, 台北
2024 年 11 月 30 日
Chen Xihuang Traditional Puppet Theater
“The Legend of Xue Rengui”
“A Fortuitous Encounter”
Xia Hai City God Temple, Taipei, December 7, 2024
陳錫煌傳統掌中劇團
薛仁貴傳奇
巧遇姻緣
台北霞海城隍廟, 2024 年 12 月 7日
Su Jun-Jing
“Playing the Fairy (ban xian)”
Shanhua Qing’an Temple, Tainan, April 30, 2021
蘇俊穎
扮仙祈福
善化慶安宮, 臺南, 2021 年 4 月 30 日
Chen Guanlin from Chen Xihuang Traditional Puppet Theater
educational performance
Xia Hai City God Temple, Taipei, December 1, 2024
推廣傳統木偶戲的表演
陳冠霖 – 陳錫煌傳統掌中劇團
台北霞海城隍廟. 2024 年 12 月 1 日
Editing, Sound Mix, Color Correction: Franziska Lamprecht
Camera: Franziska Lamprecht and Hajoe Moderegger
Project Coordination and translation: Serena Liu and Megan Lan
This project is supported by the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange Fulbright Taiwan
本計畫由學術交流基金會資助富布萊特台灣
Thank you:
S. Leo Chiang, 江松長
Li Yi Xian 李奕賢
Chen Guan Lin陳冠霖
He Sheng-hui 何聖惠
Wu Sheng-Chieh 吳聲杰
Wu Shan-Shan 伍姍姍
Lin Yung-Chih 林永志
Su Da Xia 蘇大俠
Tsai Yi-Wei蔡易衛
Gregory Dubinsky
Jacki Ochs