Screening of the documentary "Hand in Hand" (牽阮的手). A love story for humanity and Taiwan

This cultural screening features the Taiwanese documentary Hand in Hand (牽阮的手), directed by CHUANG Yi-tseng and YEN Lan-chuan, a remarkable film that took over five years to make. Completed in 2010 and released in 2011, this documentary traces a story that is both intimate and deeply political: that of Dr. TIAN Chao-ming and his wife TIAN Meng-shu, emblematic figures of democratic engagement in Taiwan.

Through their personal trajectory - a love story that spans more than sixty years - the film offers a moving plunge into contemporary Taiwanese history. In the conservative society of the 1950s, their relationship already defies social convention: despite a significant age difference and family opposition, they choose to unite and build their lives together.

But their story goes far beyond the private sphere. During the period of martial law, one of the longest in modern history, the couple became actively involved in movements for human rights and democratization. Dr. Tian, scarred by the experience of the February 28, 1947 massacre, put his profession at the service of political prisoners and democracy activists. Together with his wife, they provide medical, moral and material support to many opponents of the regime, often at the risk of their own safety.

The film thus traces several key moments in Taiwan's political history - from the tangwai movement to democracy demonstrations, via the Kaohsiung affair (Formosa incident), the May 20 peasant mobilizations and campaigns to abolish Article 100 of the penal code - revealing the courageous commitment of a generation that helped transform Taiwan into one of Asia's most dynamic democracies.

Both a love story and a historical testimony, Hand in Hand shows how two individuals, bound by deep affection and a shared conviction, traversed the upheavals of an era and accompanied the great political transformations of their society. Their commitment would earn them the nickname of the great figure of Taiwan's democratic movement Chen Chu: "the mother of Taiwan's political prisoners".

As part of "Catching up on Taiwan's history", this screening is a valuable opportunity to discover an essential dimension of Taiwanese history: that of democratic struggles and civic engagement. It reminds us that understanding Taiwan today also involves recognizing the human trajectories that have shaped its democracy.

We warmly invite you to attend this exceptional screening and to catch, together, an essential page in Taiwan's history.

English subtitling.