20 november, 20:30
Your Bros. Filmmaking Group:
selected short films
With the presence of film curator i-hsuan and filmmakers
Your Bros. Filmmaking Group is a Taiwanese filmmaking group, formed by contemporary artist So Yo-hen, architect Tien Zong-yuan and art historian Liao Hsiu-hui in 2017. They focus on the experiences of modern migrant workers, with a unique artistic approach grounded in field research, conversations, performative workshops, and dynamic on-the-spot editing to continually (re)shape cinematic narratives.
They see filmmaking as a medium to reinterpret and play with reality, infusing everyday life with aesthetic depth and transforming it into a platform for deeper reflection and dialogue. Their approach emphasizes decentralized, collaborative filmmaking, where every participant becomes a co-creator in what they call a 'workshop film.' Drawing inspiration from real-life stories, they allow these narratives to unfold organically, evolving into rich, diverse details and limitless possibilities.
Along with their debut feature production Taman-taman (Park), which will have its international premiere in the Envision Competition at IDFA 2024 this November, we are delighted to invite filmmakers to share their artistic practices and insights through this selection of short films here in Amsterdam.
NALAM
Your Bros. Filmmaking Group｜2018｜Taiwan｜20’｜Taiwanese, Bahasal, EN subs
On 2 June 2013, Nalam, an undocumented Indonesian worker, misunderstood a police officer's command from 'don't run' to 'take a photo'. Moments after taking a photo with the officer, Nalam was arrested. The incident was briefly reported as amusing news, but it concealed the deeper truth of a man's story reduced to a joke. Nalam never got a chance to explain himself, while the officer's account was absurd. The only evidence: a photograph that is both funny and threatening.
To revisit this moment with fresh eyes, we invited three Indonesian martial arts masters - who have trained while working abroad - to the place where Nalam was arrested. They imagined an alternative reality: what if Nalam had known martial arts and fought back against the police? This exaggerated simulation questions power, perception and the absurdity of the situation.
Gubuk (Hut) 工寮
Your Bros. Filmmaking Group｜2018｜Taiwan｜53’｜EN subs
The film began with a series of workshops shaped by the experiences of migrant workers recalling their journeys from Indonesia to Taiwan. Through collaborative sessions on character development, scriptwriting, and art design, we constructed a hut from discarded materials in a former factory to serve as our film studio — a space where undocumented workers and their stories found shelter. Though they entered this space with fictionalized identities, the stories they shared subtly revealed the real conditions faced by migrant workers.
This award-winning film has been screened at various international film festivals, including the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF), the ARKIPEL Jakarta International Documentary & Experimental Film Festival and the Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF).
More than Necessary 多過必要
Your Bros. Filmmaking Group｜2022｜Taiwan｜39’｜Taiwanese, Thai, EN subs
Suthat, a young man from northeastern Thailand, has been working in Taiwan for six years. With no specific goal in mind and no plans for the future, he recently moved to Taichung, the largest city in central Taiwan. While exploring ASEAN Square - a vibrant hub known for its diverse immigrant cultures from Southeast Asia - he stumbled upon a Thai disco club where a film crew was scouting locations for an upcoming production for a museum in Taipei. For reasons unknown, the crew invited Suthat to join their film project.
Today, Suthat returns to ASEAN Square to celebrate Songkran with his friends. And the film crew, along with a Thai interpreter, have become part of his unfolding adventure.
This film is part of the exhibition Unaccounted Travelogue at MoCA Taipei in 2022. It is a story about some Thai friends we met at a karaoke and some dreamy memories we shared.