Jogja Forografis Festival

Whether amidst nature's solitude or within the bustling cityscape, in the embrace of their homeland or in distant foreign lands, women, in the journey to become mothers, discover their presence gradually becoming distinct within the expansive sea of language. Their words serve as a bridge, harmonizing language, the world, ancestral spirits, and their children. Through the rhythmic cadence of their words, they nurture the very essence of existence, carrying with them memories and experiences that transcend the bounds of time and space.

Within these three works, the mother's language and voice serve as the fertile ground carrying life and knowledge. Amis language, Truku  language, Mandarin, Thai, Yunnanese dialect... The interplay of sound and language here transcends beyond a familial role. The "mother's voice" / "mother tongue" simultaneously reflects diverse facets related to gender, ethnicity, and power structures.

P.M.S. presents three moving image works focusing on mothers. These three works, through dialogues with mothers, each embark on distinct narratives and visual languages, presenting delicate and intricate contemplations on life and various relationships.

The three directors are from different indigenous groups. Kagaw Omin's father is from the Atayal tribe, while his mother is a Yunnanese Chinese from Thailand. Rngrang Hungul belongs to the Taroko tribe in Hualien, and Kawah Umei is from the Amis tribe, also in Hualien.

Kagaw Omin's moving image is woven together from static photographs. Moving from outside the home to the interior, there's a constant flow between the external and internal spaces. These photos, seemingly randomly taken in every corner of the house and from various angles, guide the audience through the director's narrative. Gradually, a sense of "home," its imagery, and order begins to take shape. Within the dialogues between mother and daughter, conversations span from relationships among family members to life experiences that transcend national and geographical boundaries.

Rngrang Hungul constructs the relationship and pathways between humans, animals, and the natural environment by questioning her mother about various hunting knowledge. Through her mother's words, the prey isn't just a creature waiting to be captured, but a cunning opponent challenging the hunter's wits. As a "female" hunter, this identity conflicts with taboos within the Truku. The film explores how this conflicting identity is reconciled through fluid thinking and space, ultimately returning to a state of being a "human" with its associated thoughts and perspectives.

Kawah Umei, on the other hand, grapples with many uncertainties about her absent mother during her upbringing. Years later, she picks up a camera to live closely with her mother, travel together, and document her life. This work employs reenactment elements, oscillating between the present and memories, engaging in mutual questioning. Amid the exploration and probing of life experiences, it also reveals shifts in specific temporal and spatial contexts, interweaving or conflicting aspects of economics and social status, gender, and occupation.

Film Program

The mother‘s voice

Kagaw Omin

Taiwan | 2023 | Color | 15min

Yaku o kuyuh , maduk ku kuyuh. I'm a woman, I'm a hunter

Rngrang Hungul

Taiwan | 2022 | Color | 17min

The Lost Days

Kawah Umei

Taiwan │ 2019 │ Color │ 30min