Documentary “Yi-Guang’s Place” premieres to recount Taiwan’s democratic history

The documentary “Yi-Guang’s Place” (義光ê所在) premiered on September 17, 2026, at the Taipei Film Center. Produced by the National Human Rights Museum and directed by Yeh Tien-lun, the film is the first to focus on sites with transitional justice significance.

The documentary explores the dark history of Taiwan’s democratization, specifically the 1980 Lin Family Massacre. During the martial law era, the residence of lawyer and political dissident Lin Yi-hsiung was attacked, resulting in the deaths of his mother and twin daughters. The site later transformed into the Yi-Guang Church under the auspices of the Taiwan Christian Church.

Through interviews with nearly 30 key figures and historians, the film documents the violence used by the authoritarian regime to suppress democratic movements. Director Yeh Tien-lun noted the urgency of preserving these stories to prevent them from being misrepresented or forgotten. The film will be screened at the 2026 Taiwan International Human Rights Film Festival and is planned for subsequent campus screenings and international human rights film festivals.