Text by MOOK Travel Life Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
What angle shows Taiwan at its most beautiful—and most unfamiliar? For aerial photographer and director of "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above," Chi Po-lin, it is only from high above that one can discover this familiar land in ways never seen before. The shock and awe he captured through his lens, condensing 400 hours of helicopter flight time into a 93-minute documentary, presents Taiwan on the silver screen today from an angle and perspective never before seen.
The scenic beauty of Qingshui Cliffs and Su-Hua Highway in Hualien. (Photo provided by Taiwan Aboriginal Film Co.)
Directed and shot by aerial photographer Chi Po-lin, produced by Hou Hsiao-hsien, narrated by Wu Nien-jen, and scored by Ricky Ho, "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above" cost nearly NT$100 million to produce, making it the most expensive documentary film in Taiwanese history. Director Chi Po-lin spent nearly three years filming, flying across all of Taiwan. The entire film is shot from breathtaking aerial perspectives, allowing viewers on this “flight journey” to see a Taiwan that is both familiar and strange.
The sunset over Yong’an Fishing Harbor and the coast, showcasing an unimaginably unique landscape from high above. (Photo provided by Taiwan Aboriginal Film Co.)
In early 2009, Director Chi invested nearly NT$3 million of his savings to rent professional aerial filming equipment from abroad, circling Taiwan in 30 hours to capture moving images of the island. Then, during the devastating Typhoon Morakot in August 2009, Taiwan’s mountainous regions suffered severe damage. Flying into the disaster zone by helicopter, Chi Po-lin witnessed the ravaged landscape. Deeply moved, he felt that flat images alone could not convey the true crisis Taiwan was facing. Thus, he resolved to mortgage his home and borrow funds with the support of friends to purchase nearly NT$30 million worth of professional aerial equipment in Taiwan, kicking off the project to create Taiwan’s first aerial documentary film, "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above."
The polluted Dahan River, laid bare from a bird’s-eye view. (Photo provided by Taiwan Aboriginal Film Co.)
“Over the years, I have been deeply moved and awed by Taiwan’s beautiful landscapes. At the same time, I’ve also felt great concern and sorrow over the transformation of Taiwan’s terrain. What I’ve seen, I also want you to see.”
Chi Po-lin believes that though we live here every day, we should be closest to “her,” yet it is only when viewing Taiwan from the air that one discovers its myriad forms—all of which are unseen by most and worthy of deep reflection.
“Her beauty, her scars—will be presented to you in grandeur through my lens.”
● Further Reading:
Three lines on the Rubber Duck’s face? Hofman: I just love how the duck blends into Taoyuan’s local character
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