Micro-video division
The micro-video division was even more fiercely contested, with first place going to The Decision by M. Ayub, a team composed of Indonesians working in Taiwan. The film tells the tale of a young Indonesian mother who is studying in Taiwan, far from her beloved child and husband. Although her days in Taiwan are busy and fulfilling, the separation from loved ones is a source of great pain. After receiving the award, the members of M. Ayub said they would continue pursuing their dreams and recording the experiences of migrant workers.
Dwi Wahyudi MDP of Indonesia claimed second place in the micro-video division with TKI Bisa Apa (“What can a migrant worker do?”). He says that a lot of people wonder what a migrant worker in Taiwan can do, but what they actually lack is opportunities, so he urges people not to give up on their dreams because success can be achieved.
Three filmmakers shared third place. Nguyen Thu Hang, a student from Vietnam, won with A Diary of Thu Hang’s Life in Taiwan. Sucy Crishya of Indonesia was honored for Susah di Penampungan Sampai Sukses di Negeri Orang (“I will succeed”). And Dang Do Hung of Vietnam rounded out the trio with Working.
Nguyen Thu Hang came to study in Taiwan six years ago, and is now a graduate student at National Taiwan Normal University. Very homesick at first, she gradually became acclimated to life in Taiwan as her Chinese improved. She has taught Vietnamese to Taiwanese people, and has had the opportunity to take part in the filming and production of video shorts. Experiences like these have enabled her to better understand Taiwanese culture.
Sucy Crishya, who works in Taiwan as a home care provider, uses her beautiful voice to sing all about her life as a migrant worker, and has even released recordings. She encourages other migrant workers to try their hand at other lifestyles.
Dang Do Hung, who is studying in Taiwan, took advantage of his underwater diving work with oceanographers to record his adventures at the sea bottom just off Green Island, where he has witnessed coral spawning and seen all sorts of rare marine life forms. The beauty of undersea life has been unforgettable for him. He said the Taiwan Migrants Video Award is a deeply meaningful event, and thanked the GWO for creating a platform where migrant workers can express themselves.
Yusuf Efendi, a migrant worker from Indonesia, won the online voting for most popular video in the micro-video division with Running into Love, which tells of his passion for recording wherever he goes in photography, and recounts how the hobby led to his falling in love.
First place in the micro-video division was awarded to The Decision, which tells the tale of a young Indonesian mother who is studying in Taiwan, far from her beloved child and husband. Day after busy day, she longs for faraway loved ones in her home country. (courtesy of GWO)