LA PALOMA
Country:
- Taiwan
- History
- Female
- White Terror
Synopsis
Known as 'Pa Nana', a celebrated Latin singer in 1950s–60s Taiwan, Kao Chu-hua supported her family through nightclub performances after her father’s execution during the White Terror. Drawing on family testimonies and newly declassified archives, the film reconstructs her life under state surveillance, revealing survival beneath authoritarian rule and enforced silence.
Director Statement
Lu Yuan-chi: ‘Knowing Kao Chu-hua’s story, her survival feels almost miraculous. This film begins with a simple yet haunting question: how do the survivors live now?The tragic mist of oppression still lingers over her family today. We trace her life from an elite daughter, to the nightclub singer “Pa Nana,” and finally to a collapsing mother.Through surveillance records, we uncover the invisible weight that forced her to renounce her own identity. These families have endured in silence, not out of weakness, but to protect the next generation. They do not seek apologies, but the understanding necessary to live with dignity. May this film offer them a small measure of liberation.’
Festivals & Awards
2026 TIDF - Audience Award, Taiwan Competition nomination
Team
- Director
Gallery
