SOAS CTS Film Screening: Sunflower Occupation and Q&A with Director Chen Yu-Ching

Speaker: Director Chen Yu-Ching

Sunflower Occupation

《電影故事》 Story

為什麼青年學生要佔領議會？整件事是如何發生的？在24天中，青年世代如何被改變？24天之後，他們改變了什麼？

Why did students occupy the parliament? How did it happen? In 24 days, what changes did the young generation go through? 24 days later, what have they changed?

青年們衝進立法院側門之後，撐開了一個無盡擴張的黑洞，緊接而來的是無盡的，最基本的追問：什麼是民主？什麼是政府？什麼是公平？什麼是暴力？什麼是我們的未來？什麼是我們美好的幸福？什麼是「我們」？

After the young generation stormed through the side door of the Legislative Yuan, it was like the door to a bottomless black hole was thrown open. Immediately came the most eternal and fundamental question: What is democracy? What is the government? What is violence? What is our future? What is the happiness we seek? Who is “we”?

因此，紀錄者拿起攝影機，訴說佔領運動的主角複雜的心境，坦露他面對群眾的不安，直指他站立在民主的面前，是多麼的渺小。

And so the documentary filmmakers picked up their cameras and begin to tell stories of the heroes in the occupy movement, to disclose their uneasy feelings when facing the crowd, and expose how small they felt in the face of democracy.

在家長式威權下成長的青年們，也成為了佔領者。這場佔領是他們的成年禮，面對政治立場不同的家人，青年哭泣之後，便獨立而成長。青年們一同生活在魔幻寫實的佔領空間，一面服中藥同時喊口號，一面跳鄭多燕同時擬訂策略，抽菸是唯一能看見天空的美好時刻。

Growing up under the paternalistic authority, when the youth became the occupiers, the occupy movement became their rite of passage. Confronted by family members who stand on the other end of the political spectrum, the youth shed tears but independence and awakening came right after. Young people stayed together in the surreal occupied space, they shouted out slogans while sipping their herbal medicine; they did aerobic dances and made strategic planning about the movement. Going outside for a smoke was the only chance they have to see the sky.

在議場內外，除了青年世代，還有24年前參加學運的野百合世代，默默為青年們加油。

In and outside the parliament, aside from the young generation, there were also members of the Wild Lily Student Movement from 24 years ago, silently cheering along for the current young generation.

有人為青年加油，有人則冷眼旁觀，真實的版本，總是有很多個。媒體在24天內呈現過於興奮的狀態。雖然如此，議場的外圍還是不斷湧入熱情民眾和志工，親炙這堂難得一見的民主課。

Some cheer for the young generation, while some remains aloof. There are always many versions of the so-called truth. The media remained in an over-excited state during the 24 days. And people continued to flock in, even to just sit outside the parliament, looking to volunteer and witness democracy up close and personal.

紀錄者的鏡頭中，那些初次來到街頭的青年，懷抱真誠的理想，卻被打得全身是傷。他們在一夜之間長大，甚至老去，思索個人生命/國家/暴力之於自身的意義；紀錄者接著要追問，國家機器的暴力在何時被誰啟動，其中的暴力邏輯是什麼。

In the shots captured by the filmmakers, some of these young protesters came to the streets for the first time, enthralled with ideals but end up defeated by the state. They grew up overnight, or even grew old, contemplating the meaning between lives, state, violence and the meanings in relation to themselves. The filmmakers press on: when did the state apparatus decide to switch into violent mode? What was the logic behind the use of violence?

當太陽花如陽光一般的盛開了24天，這陽光也如烈日灼身，曬傷了青年們情同手足的情誼。這斷裂考驗著青年，等待重生

這時候，手持攝影機的紀錄者不禁要問：我們為什麼紀錄？

When the movement blossomed like sunflowers for 24 days, the rays of the sun also gave sunburn to the youth, challenging their friendship with conflicts. The fallouts were testaments to these young people. A more mature generation is waiting to reborn.

Now a question for the person with camera: why do we record?

因為我們看到了許多微小的個人生命，捲入了大歷史中。這次的服貿爭議，顯現了它是一個階級的議題。這些個人生命，是還沒有累積人生財富的青年世代、沒有含著金湯匙出生的年輕人、資本薄弱的中小企業主、薪水薄薄的勞工。

Because we see lives devoted themselves into the movement of history. The Service Trade Pact dispute is a class issue. The dispute affects the lives of the young generation who have not yet had the chance to accumulate their own wealth, who were not born with a silver soon, who may be small business owners with little capital, and those who work for the thin monthly pay check.

身為紀錄者，總會奮不顧身的奔向被掩蓋的真相，同時為了追求公平，不只站在雞蛋的那一邊，還希望溫柔的接住雞蛋，孵育小雞，讓小雞長大，因而公平有滋長的機會。

As documentary filmmakers, we yearn to reveal the concealed truth. In pursuit of equality, we not only stand along side the egg, we also want to gently catch and protect the egg, hatch it and helping it grow. We aim to give equality a chance to flourish.

太陽花是青年運動的象徵物，同時也是紀錄者心中的想望，遠處微光閃爍，日昇之時已不遠。

Sunflower is the symbol of the youth movement. It is also the filmmakers’ aspiration. The lights may seem dim and far, but sunrise will soon be upon us.

Trailer

Speaker's Bio

Chen Yu-Ching was born in 1975, and studied film production at CinéCréatis, Nantes, France. Her work focuses on human rights, human condition and environmental issues, and she would like to use aesthetics, words, images and various media to make the world a better place. She is a freelance film maker. She shot one episode of the film -  Sunflower Occupation.

陳育青， 1975 年生，於法國南特 CINECREATIS 電影學院研修電影製作。主要關懷和創作方向為人權、人的處境、環境問題，希望以美學、文字、影像與各種媒材來實踐理想，現為自由影像工作者 。她是太陽 不遠的導演之一.

Organiser: Centre of Taiwan Studies

Contact email: bc18@soas.ac.uk