TAIWAN
In April 2025, I had the chance to travel with my friends and fellow artists, Chynna Lewis and Tom Hanley, to Chynna’s home country of Taiwan. We were there to shoot a music video and short documentary for her upcoming album. Chynna immigrated to Canada at the age of 12, leaving behind a formative childhood in her hometown of Gangshan. After nearly two decades, she had only been able to return to Taiwan once. This second visit — the one I joined her on — was deeply personal and meaningful. It was centered around reconnecting with her grandmother, whom we lovingly called Pou Pou. Pou Pou speaks Mandarin, and over the past few years, Chynna has been learning the language in order to deepen their relationship. Her grandmother played a motherly role in her early life, and this journey was a way for Chynna to return not just to a place, but to a part of herself. Over the course of two weeks, we traveled through Taiwan — from Taipei to Hualien County, Gangshan to Taoyuan. For me, it was a beautiful experience both as a friend and a filmmaker. It was a true honour to be present during these intimate and emotional moments, and to help document the journey as part of a new creative collaboration. Here are a few still frames from our trip that I really love.
