At their nearest point, Taiwan and mainland China are less than a hundred miles apart.
But historically and politically for over 70 years a broad gulf has separated them.
The opening frames of the Oscar-nominated short filmIsland in Between, directed byS.
‘Island in Between’New York Times
I knew that Kinmen had been the frontline for Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War.
But it was still a shock to see that China is literally right there.
Destroy Mao and kill traitors of the Chinese race!
The strait between Kinman Island in Taiwan and mainland China.S. Leo Chiang-CNEX
I sang this song all the time as a kid, Chiang reveals in voiceover.
We were taught that we Taiwanese were Chinese in exile.
And Kinmen would be the launching pad.
Thats the propaganda in the film, Chiang tells Deadline.
We used to say, Were coming to take back that government!
Thats no longer the desire of [Taiwan].
Rather, he says, People want to have the power of self-determination.
Taiwanese people want to be able to live our lives without living in fear.
aircraft breached it nearly 400 times.
Last year, that number exceeded 1,700.
A more robust approach is needed to deter China from escalating the situation.
InIsland in BetweenChiang recounts that his father served compulsory military service in Kinmen in 1968.
Tsien, the producer, could closely identify with that story.
I watched my grandma sob just uncontrollably.
That was my first time hearing the word Kinmen, as an 8-year-old.
The documentary, as is true for almost every nonfiction film, went through various iterations.
Part of the evolution ofIsland in Betweenwas to make the director a more overt presence in the film.
I would say even six months ago, Leos voice was not in the film, Tsien notes.
At one point we realized his voice is so authentic, its needed to guide the international audience.
We really enjoy working with the Op-Docs team, Chiang says.
Its one version of another of this particular pressure.
