By Yvonne Lo
“When opportunity knocks, you grab it.” Never give up on your dreams, until you reach happiness. Touch of the Light (逆光飛翔) is a film directed by Chang Jung-Chi, screened at the Asian American International Film Festival in New York. The film sends a message to the audience that no matter what obstacles or struggles stands in your way; never give up on your dreams. You can achieve happiness.
Touch of the Light is the life story of the blind piano prodigy Huang Yu-Siang, starring himself in the film. The film grabs the audience by the heart as they accompany Yu-Siang through his pain and suffering from social rejection. Yu-Siang was able to achieve that status, but his peers and competitors constantly complain about him always being a nuisance, wasting their time, and winning only because of his disability. Along this journey to overcome his struggle with blindness, he meets Xiao Jie (Sandrine PINNA), a young woman who has to overcome her own challenges to succeed her dream to become a dancer. When down in the dumps, the two confide in each other for support and continue to follow their dreams. With the right mentality and support, anyone can overcome their struggles and succeed their dreams with support from their friends.
The film is visually appealing to the eye, with soft backlighting bathing the characters in an embracing glow, accompanied with Yu-Siang playing piano in the background. The film soars and escalates whenever Yu-Siang plays the piano because it allows the audience to feel and find their own way. You can connect and feel the characters’ emotions and can relate to what they’re going through. This film will inspire the audience to pursue their dreams.
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