Gaga

Q&A with Laha Mebow

Taiwan’s indigenous population makes up about 3% of the county’s 24 million citizens. Gaga (Tribal Law), the third film by Taiwan’s first indigenous female director, Laha Mebow, offers such a rare, up-close and personal look at the storied Atayal tribe that the lines between documentary and fiction are magnificently blurred. It begins auspiciously with authentic tribespeople giving Taiwanese visitors an informative tour of their land and culture. The focus quickly switches to their family and what happens when their wise patriarch passes away, soon after his strongly independent granddaughter returns from studying abroad. This sets in motion a tangled web of drama across three generations, including a tumultuous mayoral election, tribal conspiracies, risk-reward gambles, unexpected visitors, and other emotionally-charged challenges of life. Imbued with divinely tragicomic undertones, Gaga’s deceptively simple story allows the audience to bask in the glory of this endearing clan’s unique culture and effervescent personalities.