Award Winner of the Moondance International Film Festival
Special Mention from Asia South East Short Film Festival, London.
It was screened at:
Her Vision, Toronto’s Asian Feedback, and Women’s International Film Festival, 3rd Coloquio Internacional Perspectiva de Genero y La Escena Artística (Universities of Valparaiso, Guanajuato, Veracruzana, Antioquia), Transit Festival in Denmark, Odin Forum in Rome, Magdalena Montpellier Festival, Internationales Frauen*Theater-Festival-Pandoras Box, and at BEMAC during ISEA 2024, International Symposium of Electronic Arts in Brisbane, Australia.
Suzon Fuks: Direction, Camera, Compositing & Editing
Ya-Ling Peng: Producer & Uhan Shii Theatre Group Director
James Cunningham: Sound & Second Camera
Yeh Yeh: Executive Producer
This video was shot in Taiwan, with voices recorded in Taiwan, Australia, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Spain and USA.
Hakka: Chang Tien Wan, Chen Mei-Yen, Lin Chu-Ying, Lo Hsiu Ling, Wang Chun-Chiu, Ye Sha
English Version Readers: Anna Yen, Jenny Martinelli, Maria Porter
French Version Readers: Brigitte Cirla, Eléonore Bovon, Eugenia Cano, Marion Coutarel
Spanish Version Readers: Amaranta Osorio, Eugenia Cano, Veronica Moraga
Portuguese Version Readers: Juliana Zancanaro, Natália Sá, Rebeca Reis
Mandarin Version Reader: Ya-Ling Peng
English Translators: James Cunningham, Ya-Ling Peng, Yeh Yeh
French Translators: Brigitte Cirla, Eléonore Bovon, Suzon Fuks
Spanish Translator: Amaranta Osorio
Portuguese Translator: Rebeca Reis
Mandarin Translators: Chang Tien Wan, Chen Mei-Yen, Lin Chu-Ying, Lo Hsiu Ling, Wang Chun-Chiu, Ya-Ling Peng, Ye Sha, Yeh Yeh
Uhan Shii Performers: Chen Pei Yi, Hsu Yu Fen, Huang Shu Ming, Huang Wan Chi, Huang Wen-Mei, Li Sing Lian, Tseng Li-Yun
Uhan Shii Sound Technician: Chen Memg Hao
Calligrapher: Chiu Yit-Fam
Special Guests: Djanav Zengror, Lee Chuan-Hunh, Lee Ya Wen, Liu Yi Jiun, Sakyou, Umav Balalavi, Wu Xin Fei
Special thanks: Hakka Affairs Counci
Thank you: Baran Theatre, Chang Tien Wan, Chen Pei Yi, Hong Van, James Cunningham, Joan Lin, Li Meihui, Lin Yu Ching & Hsiao Man, Lo’s Private School, Meng Ling Hsieh, Sakyou, Shih-Long Lo, Shih Yi-Lun, Umav Balalavi, Xuepu Xia, Yeh Yeh
Song by Lin, Chu-Ying, Hakka Traditional Music, Pingban Tune | Hakka Traditional Music, Xiu Xian Bao, Erhu performed by Sakyou 佐京 | Improvisation by Djanav Zengror with nose flute | Taiwanese Traditional Opera, Dou Ma Diao | Hakka Traditional Ba Yin, Baijia Chun, Erhu performed by Sakyou | Hakka Traditional Music, ‘Once upon a Time in Dawu Mountain’ – Taipei Hakka Affairs Commission
VOICES OF HAKKA WOMEN is a video poem about the lives of Taiwanese Hakka women, unique traditions and universal themes expressed in Hakka. There are 5 different versions (Hakka-English, Hakka-French, Hakka-Spanish, Hakka-Portuguese and Hakka-Mandarin versions), voiced by 19 actresses from around the world. Layered with imagery shot in Taiwan, it evokes the not-so-old custom of giving away daughters, adopted by other families, and often used for hard house and farm work.
© 2023 igneous & Uhan Shii Theatre
VOICES OF HAKKA WOMEN by Ya-Ling Peng and Suzon Fuks
After being shown in several festivals around the world, VOICES OF HAKKA WOMEN (Hakka-English version) had a screening, artists talk and Q&A, at BEMAC – Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre, on Monday 24 June 2024. Jenny Martinelli (aka Jenny Pineapple) made a strong and beautiful Acknowledgement to Country. She is one of the actresses who lent their voices to the film. Followed by some live music with Nicholas Ng and friend, an address by the President of the Hakka Association of Queensland Mrs Jackie Chiang, and a speech by Mr William Hou-Lu Fan, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Brisbane. Ya-Ling Peng, who came from Taiwan, introduced her work with Uhan Shii Theatre, Suzon Fuks showed images of the making of. Anna Yen, another actress who lent her voices for the English version, was present amongst the audience. The screening ended with a Q&A and there was more music and food in the foyer.