Thats the conundrum explored in Hsaio Ya-chuansOld Fox, theTaiwanese submission for the Best International Feature Oscar.
Liao Tai-Lai is a gifted musician who dreams of opening his own barber shop but cannot afford it.
So I kept on asking myself, Is there?
And what should I teach my kids?
Significantly, the film takes place during a specific period in Taiwans recent history.
So, a little background about 1990 and Taiwan, said Hsaio.
In 1987, martial law was finally lifted.
Back then, some people got super-rich because of the stock market.
I think its about making a moral choice, which is really, really universal, said Hsaio.
Even nowadays, in 2024, we still experience the same situation.
The gap between the rich and the poor didnt disappear.
It actually became even more drastic.
The rich are definitely way richer, and the poor are way poorer.
So, we are still in this same situation.
With this movie, I can plant some seeds in the audiences head.
Although they might not change overnight, they can definitely start to think about this topic.
Check out the panel video above.
