Who are Watching over us

Core Plot: A Soul’s Journey from Despair to Rebirth

The protagonist, Ahao (played by Liu Yihao), is a soldier who takes his own life after being sexually abused and bullied by his superior. He unexpectedly gains the ability to possess others, embarking on a transnational journey in spirit form. Starting from the shadows of a military camp in Taiwan, he travels through Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Barcelona, experiencing the world through others' perspectives:

Hong Kong Segment: Possessing a depressed youth (played by Tam Cheng-yi), he meets violinist Xiaolun (played by Huang Qiaolun), and together they compose music that reignites the youth's creative passion.

Spain Segment: Inhabiting a homeless dancer (played by Dong Ye), he runs naked through the winter streets, symbolizing the pursuit of freedom from physical constraints.
The climax focuses on Ahao confronting his abuser, using his spiritual powers to expose military corruption and achieve self-redemption.

Production Highlights: Transnational Filming and Extreme Challenges

The crew spent two years shooting in five countries, facing extreme environments and cultural differences:

Hong Kong Rooftop Scene: Filming a nude cuddle scene on an old building rooftop in Mong Kok, Huang Qiaolun had to overcome shyness amid dense housing, using violin sounds to mask street noise.

Winter Naked Run in Spain: In 7-degree Celsius Barcelona, Liu Yihao and Dong Ye ran continuously for 100 seconds in one take, with the director intentionally preserving the actors' shivering breaths to enhance realism.

Thai Lantern Festival: Combining spirit perspectives with traditional rituals, underwater photography captures magical images of thousands of lanterns reflected on the river.

Actor Challenges: The Tension Between Body and Soul

Liu Yihao’s Dual Breakthrough: Transitioning from military trauma to a playful spirit, he navigates extremes of repression and freedom. He revealed that during the Spanish naked run scene, he used a "ghost prankster" mindset to ease embarrassment, creating S-shaped movements to showcase the character's transcendence.

Huang Qiaolun’s Artistic Projection: As a professional violinist, she interprets the instrument as a "medium for communicating with spirits," improvising segments that blend classical music and electronic sounds, resonating with the film's surreal tone.

Dong Ye’s Body Language: Drawing from her modern dance background, she interprets the homeless dancer, choreographing a "struggle for existence" dance on the streets of Barcelona, symbolizing the character’s quest for meaning in life.

Social Issues: Trauma Narratives and Gender Violence

Director Yun Xiang continues his focus on marginalized groups, critiquing systemic violence through a spiritual lens:

Exposing Military Corruption: Based on real military sexual assault cases, the film portrays a superior (played by He Fei) abusing power over subordinates, reflecting the corruption of power structures.

Gender Power Reflection: Huang Qiaolun's character represents a co-dependent relationship between a male spirit and a female host, challenging traditional gender frameworks in redemption narratives.

Cross-Cultural Empathy: Through spiritual journeys across countries, the film presents universal themes of trauma and healing, such as workplace burnout in the Japanese host (played by Daniel Benjamin) and ethnic discrimination faced by the Thai host (played by Nich Buunya).

Controversy and Artistic Balance

The film has sparked discussions due to its numerous nude scenes, but the director emphasizes that "the exposure of the body highlights the nakedness of the soul":

The Hong Kong Film Critics Society praised it for "exploring spiritual freedom through physical hardship," and it was selected for the "Asian New Horizons" section of the 2025 Hong Kong International Film Festival.

The version released in Taiwan retains all nude scenes and includes post-screening discussions on "trauma awareness," in collaboration with the Rape Crisis Center to promote initiatives against sexual violence.

Who Are Watching Over Us redefines the cinematic language surrounding life and death, using "death as the starting point and possession as the medium." As Yun Xiang states, "This film is a transnational healing ritual for wounded souls—only by facing the darkness can light seep through the cracks."