Taiwan's Judicial Film Festival features movie on Filipino caregiver

Taipei, Oct. 21 (CNA) A Taiwanese-produced film starring Filipino actress Angel Aquino, who portrays a live-in caregiver in Taiwan, is among highlights at the 2025 Judicial Film Festival.

"April," (丟包阿公到我家), from Freddy Tang (唐福睿), who directed the Golden Bell Award-winning miniseries Port of Lies (八尺門的辯護人), follows the titular character on her journey home to the Philippines to visit her terminally ill mother.

Live-in caregiver April has no choice but to take the elderly man she is looking after from a Hakka community in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, back to the Philippines with her when she visits her mother. Meanwhile, an ex-convict trying to start a new life reconnects with a friend, a woman from the same community, and a romantic relationship unfolds. These two seemingly unrelated incidents become intertwined by an unexpected phone call.

"The movie skillfully blends issues such as ex-convicts, migrant workers and long-term care," said Wen Tien-hsiang (聞天祥), CEO of the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, which co-organized the festival.

"It's not heavy or serious. On the contrary, it's a work filled with warmth, laughter, and a touch of humor. In this way, it takes the edge off these heavy issues," Wen told CNA Tuesday on the sidelines of a news conference about the film festival.

At the news conference, Tung Cheng-yu (董成瑜), the film's producer, praised Aquino's "excellent interpretation" of a caregiver in the movie, saying it dispelled the crew's initial concerns that an "A-list star" might not be able to portray the role convincingly.

Tung said one scene shot in the Philippines moved her to tears. In the scene, Tung said, April's mother thanked the elderly man for "taking care of" her daughter, which tells "the other side of the story" and showcases Filipino families' optimism despite their own problems.

The movie is set to premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month.

Another Taiwanese highlight is "Me and My Condemned Father" (我的爸爸是死刑犯) by director Lee Chia-hua (李家驊), a documentary on death row inmate Cheng Wu-sung (鄭武松), who killed his ex-wife in 2002 and received the death penalty in 2005, focusing on the inner conflict of the couple' son, Cheng Yi-hsiu (鄭宜修).

"People have so many facets. How can we define them based on one wrong thing they did, however appalling?" Lee said at the news conference.

"If we cannot understand that they were, and still are, people before, while, and after committing a crime, I think that discussions on judicial issues in Taiwan have hit a wall," he added.

"A verdict only tells the end of an incident, but in reality, there could have been many other incidents and stories that led to that incident and verdict," said Judicial Yuan Acting President Shieh Ming-yan (謝銘洋).

"Through film, people can better understand pre-existing problems that lead to laws or verdicts," Shieh said.

Other selections include "Adam's Sake" by director Laura Wandel, "No Dogs Allowed" by director Steve Bache, "Father" by director Tereza Nvotová, and "The Final Piece" by director Naoto Kumazawa.

Now in its seventh year, the festival jointly organized by the Judicial Yuan and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee delves into human rights and judicial issues through film.

This year's festival will be held from Nov. 6-30 in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung. For more information, visit: https://social.judicial.gov.tw/FilmFestival2025/