Meet Hsiaowen Hsu | Writer/Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hsiaowen Hsu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hsiaowen, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Growing up in Taiwan, a land caught between shadows of identity, I was nurtured in a traditional family with expectations etched in stone: to embody perfection as a student and a daughter. Though my teachers, classmates, neighbors, and family beamed with pride, I often felt like a whisper—present yet barely seen. The weight of meeting these expectations felt like my only way to prove I existed, and I feared the void of failure more than anything.

The turning point came in college, when I first had the chance to direct a script about my family. It was through this creative endeavor that I began to grapple with my own sense of self. Questions like “Who am I?” “What do I truly want?” and “Where do I belong in this vast world?” emerged from the depths of my soul. These questions grew more poignant and pressing when I moved to the U.S., where my homeland’s delicate and ambiguous status mirrored my own internal struggle.

In Taiwan, where we cannot freely wave our national flag or fully claim our identity, I found a reflection of my own quest for belonging. Over time, I have come to embrace this search as a vital, heartfelt journey. Through the lens of filmmaking, I continue to explore and wrestle with these profound questions, striving to uncover the essence of who I am and where I am meant to be in this ever-changing world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The characters in my writing are all marked by sensitivity and melancholy, yet they hold a profound attachment to life. Ultimately, they learn to be tolerant, to empathize, and to confront the complexities of existence. I excel at portraying the nuanced and positive aspects of the world through the perspectives of women and children.

I have previously worked in Taiwan as an assistant director and script supervisor on various films and television projects, collaborating with renowned directors such as Cheng Wen-tang, Ho Wei-ting, Yi Chih-yen, Lin Chih-ju, Wang Ming-tai, and Su Wen-sheng. This experience has helped me accumulate extensive filming experience and execution skills.

I directed a pre-documentary for the Public Television Service titled “Out of the Factory: The Inner Voices of Female Workers,” which chronicles the growth and self-awareness of women during Taiwan’s economic boom. This work was awarded an Excellence Award at the 2018 Labor Golden Bell Awards.

During my first year of graduate school, I made a student short film called “Birthday Wish,” which portrays the farewell between a child and a dying mother. The film was nominated for the Chunghwa Telecom MOD Microfilm Awards.

While studying at National Chengchi University, I created the student short film “Yang Li-mei,” based on the story of my mother, which won the Silver Award at the Chunghwa Television Company Microfilm Festival.

I am currently dedicated to producing narrative short films, feature films, and television dramas while exploring new possibilities within my creative universe.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I like to experience daily life in a city – no matter where it is. I will take my friend to eat local food, no fancy decorations but has a grandma who can cook good food. I will show her the best time in a park where kids play excitedly after school. I will walk along a river with her and update our lives. I will drink with her til we are both drunk and laugh under the sunrise.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Columbia, my graduate school, provides me with the knowledge and courage to be a filmmaker. My parents, I love them so much. My brother, I love him too. My best friend Alvaro Núñez Secchi, my lighthouse that guides me through difficult times.

Website: https://hsuhsiaowen.cargo.site/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hsiaowenhsu/?hl=en