A short film about Pine Garden, a Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) building in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County, claimed the awards for best TV program and best documentary at the 2016 ART&TUR International Tourism Film Festival Oct. 19-22 in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
“Passing through the Pine Garden” explores the history of the landmark as well as the surrounding ecological environment and related cultural attractions, such as the Japanese colonial era Keishuin building, Hualien County Stone Sculptural Museum and Railway Culture Park. Judges particularly praised the film’s innovative use of animation to examine the building’s connection to kamikaze pilots, who would gather at the structure one day before embarking on suicide missions.
Pine Garden was constructed on high ground overlooking the Meilun River in Hualien City in 1942, serving as a military command center until the end of the Japanese colonial period three years later. Renowned for its combination of both Baroque and Japanese architectural styles, the structure was designated a historic site in 2000 by the county government.
A popular tourist attraction, Pine Garden also functions as a platform for international cultural exchanges, hosting annual events such as the Pacific Poetry Festival.
Chen Shu-mei, director-general of the county government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, noted “Passing through the Pine Garden” has garnered further international recognition for Hualien’s tourism environment following the success of the documentary “Qingxiu Yuan through the Ages” at the 2015 edition of the Portuguese film festival. The short examining the history of a Japanese colonial era temple in the county claimed first prize in the religious tourism category last year.
The ART&TUR International Tourism Film Festival is one of the largest tourism promotional film events in the world. The competition accepted 301 submissions from 52 countries this year, with the prize winners set to be honored at an awards ceremony Oct. 21. (SCK-E)
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