The Passage

Ching works at a museum. Dong-Heng writes studies on historical manuscripts. Ichiro comes to Taiwan from Japan to see a precious manuscript from the 11th century Ching and Dong-Heng are studying. It is not an ordinary manuscript. It was written by the free-minded poet So Dong Po while in exile. In the beginning of the 20th century, the manuscript was taken to Tokyo and after the war, it was returned to Taiwan. It turns out that all three protagonists have a very special relationship to this piece of writing. We are used to keeping "the great history" shut in museums and galleries. However, its connection to our lives can be all too concrete.

Cheng Wen-Tang (1958)
Cheng Wen-Tang worked in the film industry in administrative positions, as assistant director, producer and screenwriter. In 1982, he started directing. He shot a series of ethnographic documentaries about the life of the original population who today stand somewhat outside the Taiwanese society. His full-length debut Somewhere Over the Dreamland (2002) won the Golden Horse Award for the best Taiwanese picture of the year and was screened within the scope of the Critics' Week at the Venice festival.