The Islands
This documentary film follows the journey of former student activist and current political staffer Chen Ting-hao after his decision to escape the cynical politicism of Taipei City to the political backwater of Matsu, an island group administered by Taiwan less than a dozen kilometers off the coast of China.
- Signature
- Craft · Drama · Tension
The Nutevio profile
Nutevio DNA
How The Islands actually feels to watch, measured on the twelve core traits Nutevio tracks across every film and series.
Signature profile
The Islands reads strongest on Complexity, Wonder and Emotion.
Story overview
What It's About
Spoiler-free. Read the analysis below for the full argument.
This documentary film follows the journey of former student activist and current political staffer Chen Ting-hao after his decision to escape the cynical politicism of Taipei City to the political backwater of Matsu, an island group administered by Taiwan less than a dozen kilometers off the coast of China. The narrative follows Ting-hao as he reflects on how his political idealism fits in with everyday political reality and ponders Taiwan’s complex political landscape, Taiwan’s relations with a meddlesome yet surprisingly indifferent China, and the perspectives of Matsu residents on Taiwan-China affairs.
Where to watch
Streaming
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The numbers
Box Office & Release
- Budget
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- Opening weekend
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- Domestic gross
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- International gross
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- Worldwide gross
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- Release date
- May 7, 2022
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- MPAA rating
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- Language
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- Country
- Taiwan
Figures from the verified production record. Fields we cannot source are left blank rather than estimated.
