Stars

In January 2007, the TV program “Million Star” was firstly aired. The show claimed to be the biggest audition-based singing contest in Taiwanese TV history and promised the first-place winner a contract with a record company and one million NT dollars (about 30,000 USD). In content, the contest seemed no different from other talent-search competitions on TV; however, it caused an unanticipated sensation. The audience was deeply moved by the sincere sentiments the contestants revealed. As the show played along, the fan base grew larger and larger with incredible enthusiasm. In addition, this show also brought emotionally estranged families back together in front the TV, helping them communicate again by offering an entertaining conversation topic.

Owing to the phenomenon that the first season created, the second season attracted over 15,000 people in the preliminary audition. The challengers’ background exhibits great diversity and the stories behind them can be seen as an epitome of contemporary Taiwan, which inspires the whole shooting project. Through this film, we will see how Taiwanese young people hang on to their dreams in a seemingly hopeless and desperate society.
This documentary went on to win Jecheon International Music & Film Festival and Taiwan International Documentary Festival on 2008 and the International Documentary Film Festival in Tel Aviv on 2009.