Twenty years ago, Taiwan was shaken by its biggest political scandal. Protests erupted. Families turned on each other. Trust collapsed. At the center was Chen Shui-bian—A-Bian—a president who once symbolized hope for an oppressed island. Rising from poverty, he broke the Kuomintang’s decades-long grip on power, becoming Taiwan’s first opposition leader and a symbol of its young democracy. As president, he boldly defied both China and the United States, insisting on Taiwan’s right to define its own future. But his fall—from national hero to convicted criminal—shattered the dreams of millions and deepened wounds that remain unhealed.

This story is personal. We lived through it. And though A-Bian’s name still sparks shame, pride, anger, and grief, the silence around him only made us more curious.

We are three filmmakers from different backgrounds—Philip, a former believer; Norman, a son seeking to understand his father; and Tim, caught between Taiwanese and Chinese heritage. Together, we set out to confront this story—not to absolve or condemn, but to understand.

Because the truth doesn’t live in black or white—it lives in the grey. And in an age of deepening division, perhaps remembering this trauma is the first step toward healing.