The Songs from Within

Elvis A-liang Lu / Taiwan / 2026 / World Premiere / 84 min.

synopsis

Two siblings from the Paiwan indigenous community in Taiwan do not conform to local notions of masculinity in their appearance and behaviour. Their family prefers to turn a blind eye to their differences, hoping that religion, prayer and tradition will suppress their search for their own gender identity. Mufan and Chen Wei find support in one another. They share everyday worries, intimate conversations and the hope that one day they will be able to live as they wish. Singing and dancing become their refuge, and they perform as their female alter egos before audiences. However, their shared world is transformed when Mufan leaves to study music in Taipei and Chen Wei remains in the community. This sensitive film offers an insight into the experience of social exclusion and the discovery of one’s own gender identity in an environment that would rather ignore queer people than accept their differentness. The highly poetic narrative, full of magical imagery and references to local mythology, captures the longing for love, acceptance and the chance to live life on one’s own terms.

“What we cherish in the deepest recesses of our hearts are usually the most significant feelings of our lives.” — Elvis A-Liang Lu

Source: Ji.hlava New Visions Projects 2024.

biography

Elvis A-Liang Lu (1976) is a Taiwanese documentary filmmaker. He graduated from the National Taiwan University of Arts and, after completing his studies, worked on a number of independent films as a director and cinematographer. His second feature-length documentary, A Holy Family (2022), won an award at the Taipei Film Festival and premiered at Visions du Réel.