Commonality of Tyranny

Directed by Tsai Ting-li

During the production of a political thriller set in 1960s Taiwan, Mei, a passionate screenwriter, clashes with her director, Lin, and the studio executive who demand the removal of politically sensitive content. As Mei pushes to retain the truth of her grandfather's story, a man both rumored to have executed and saved victims during the White Terror- she becomes entangled in a surreal spiral where the fictional officer on screen begins speaking directly to her conscience. While the crew continues filming under pressure, Mei must decide whether to conform or resist, knowing that to alter the truth is betraying his legacy and identity. As the lines blur between the film set and real life, she faces the unspoken truth: tyranny isn't just historical, systemic, cyclical, and personal.