Taipei: A Taiwanese-produced film featuring Filipino actress Angel Aquino, who plays the role of a live-in caregiver in Taiwan, is among the highlights at the 2025 Judicial Film Festival. "April," directed by Freddy Tang, known for his Golden Bell Award-winning miniseries "Port of Lies," follows the journey of the titular character as she returns to the Philippines to visit her terminally ill mother.
According to Focus Taiwan, the film presents a narrative where April, the caregiver, must take the elderly man she is looking after from a Hakka community in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, back to the Philippines during her visit. Concurrently, an ex-convict attempting to rebuild his life reconnects with a woman from the same community, sparking a romantic relationship. These seemingly disparate events become linked by an unexpected phone call. Wen Tien-hsiang, CEO of the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, which co-organized the festival, remarked that the film adeptly weaves themes of ex-convicts, migrant workers, and long-term care.
"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 expressed to CNA during a news conference about the film festival.
At the news conference, Tung Cheng-yu, the film's producer, lauded Aquino's portrayal of a caregiver, stating it dispelled initial concerns about whether an "A-list star" could convincingly embody the role. Tung recounted one poignant scene shot in the Philippines that moved her to tears. In the scene, April's mother thanks the elderly man for "taking care of" her daughter, highlighting "the other side of the story" and demonstrating the optimism of Filipino families despite their challenges.
The movie is set to premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month.
Another notable Taiwanese film is "Me and My Condemned Father" by director Lee Chia-hua, a documentary focusing on death row inmate Cheng Wu-sung, who was sentenced to death in 2005 for the murder of his ex-wife in 2002. The documentary delves into the inner conflict of the couple's son, Cheng Yi-hsiu. Lee emphasized the complexity of human nature, stating, "People have so many facets. How can we define them based on one wrong thing they did, however appalling?"
Judicial Yuan Acting President Shieh Ming-yan commented on the broader relevance of the festival's films, stating that they help audiences understand the pre-existing issues that lead to laws or verdicts. "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," Shieh noted.
Other films featured at the festival include "Adam's Sake" by director Laura Wandel, "No Dogs Allowed" by director Steve Bache, "Father" by director Tereza Nvotov¡, and "The Final Piece" by director Naoto Kumazawa. Now in its seventh year, the festival is jointly organized by the Judicial Yuan and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee and focuses on human rights and judicial issues through the medium of film.