Still Here Review
Still Here, directed by Sean Wang, is a short documentary about the few inhabitants of a small, deserted village in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Wang’s grandmother lived in this village, his mother grew up there, and he himself used to visit during the summers until his grandmother left about a decade ago. When he returns with his grandmother this time, however, they are surprised to see that there are still a few residents in the empty village. Wang is curious, so he decides to document what they do in their daily lives, and why they refused to leave when everyone else did.
Wang’s grandmother explains how there used to be 480 people who lived in the village, but now only six remain. This wasn’t a gradual exit, nor was it the choice of 99% of the residents to leave their homes. The residents who stayed say that the government was reclaiming the homes and wanted to destroy the old village and put in coffeeshops and new residential properties. This is an issue everyone can relate to, as we see residents in lower income communities being displaced across the U.S. everyday. Still Here isn’t necessarily about gentrification or its harms, however, and this is what makes it a fantastic short film.
In many cases of people being displaced from their homes, we always see the economic ramifications; how the old community may be struggling. In this short film, however, we see how residents are still able to enjoy their lives in their community. We see how important culture and memories are to all of them.
It’s not a matter of being stubborn for the residents who remain. They have their reasons and their reasons are matters of principle. Wang showcases the remaining residents: There is a man with his wife and children, an elderly gentleman, and an elderly woman. The man with his family chose to stay because he loves the peaceful and quiet life the village provides him. The older gentleman who lives by himself said the reason he wanted to stay was because of culture. He moved to his home with his family when he was four years old and has stayed there for the last 70 years. He says his memories are within the walls and he never wants to leave them behind, especially just so a coffeeshop can be put in its place. The elder woman tells the story of how she bought her home by selling her wedding ring and other belongings. She built a life for herself in that home and won’t leave until she passes away.
What Wang does so well in this film is showing just how joyous and peaceful the remaining residents are. The scenes are quiet, the streets are empty and the people who speak are tranquil. When governments decide they want to “revitalize” certain communities and villages, the assumption is that something is wrong with that community. They figure their plans will make old and new residents happy to call that place home. Wang’s intention was not to combat gentrification, but, whether he knows it or not, this short film does show how the people in these communities continue to flourish and enjoy their lives without any intervention. They stood their ground because they wanted to hold on to their memories and live the lives they’ve found comforting for most, if not all, of their lives.
