The rural Taiwanese outer islands of Kinmen sit merely 2 miles off the coast of China. Kinmen attracts tourists for its remains from the 1949 Chinese Civil War. It also marks the frontline for Taiwan in its escalating tension with China. Filmmaker S. Leo Chiang weaves lyrical vignettes of tourist visits and local life with his own narrative as someone negotiating ambivalent personal bonds to Taiwan, China, and the US, ISLAND IN BETWEEN explores the uneasy peace in these islands, and contemplates Taiwan's uncertain future.
“At once personal, poetic, and educational—a mix one wishes more of this year's short-form Oscar contenders managed so well.” —48 Hills
Best Documentary Short nomination, Academy Awards 2023
World Premiere, Hawaii International Film Festival
West Coast Premiere, SFFilm Doc Stories
DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon