Loneliness: the beginning of a story

According to some scientists, the 52 Hz whale sings a song no other whale can answer. But is it true?


OSU Taiwan Student Forum and the Chiu Program for Taiwan Studies present

52 Hz, I Love You

directed by Wei Te-Sheng

Taiwan has produced many internationally famed directors. Among them include Lee Ang (Life of Pi) and Hou Hsiao-Hsien (The Assassin). But Wei Te-Sheng is deeply loved by the Taiwanese audience for his passion for his homeland. His films represent the cacophonous complexity of voices rooted in the history of Taiwan, exploring such issues as national identity, ethnic relationships, and historical memory. His newest film, 52 Hz, I Love You, is different. Unlike Seediq Bale and Kano, which Wei compares to sumptuous feasts, 52 Hz, I Love You is a musical film: it is lighter, less historically burdened. But still it tells stories about Taiwan by depicting the universal longing for love.


Works by Wei Te-Sheng

  • Director of Cape No. 7 (Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Film Score, Best Original Film Song, The Audience Choice Award, The Outstanding Taiwanese Film of the Year, and The Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year, the 2008 Golden Horse Film Festival)
  • Director of Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Best Feature Film and Audience Choice Award, the 2011 Golden Horse Film Festival; nominated for the Golden Lion Award, the 68th Venice Film Festival)
  • Producer of Kano (Audience Choice Award and the FIPRESCI Prize, the 2014 Gold Horse Film Festival; Best Supporting Actor and Audience Choice Award, the 2014 Taipei Film Festival; Audience Award, the 2014 Osaka Asian Film Festival)

The 52 Hz whale was first detected in the Pacific Ocean in 1989. The song it sings is at a frequency of 52 Hertz, which cannot be heard by other whales. Its existence seems not only unique but also lonesome. Recently, controversies have arisen over the issue of whether the 52 Hz whale can be understood by others. Inspired by the mystery surrounding this little-known beast, Wei Te-Sheng’s new film is about how lonely voices can be answered, even in a metropolis like Taipei, where individuals have to cope with the challenges posed by isolation and alienation. As a musical film, 52 Hz, I Love You presents a series of romances happening one Valentine’s Day.

Taiwanese Students and faculty at Oregon State University are working with Taiwanese organizations in more than forty cities to bring 52 Hz, I Love You to North America.

  • Location: Room 128, Learning Innovation Center, Oregon State University
  • Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016
  • Time:
         18:30 – 19:00 Admission
         19:00 – 20:50 52 Hz, I Love You
         21:00 – 21:30 Meet the actress / actor
  • Price:
         - Student Pass: $5 (please show your student ID at the door)
         - General Pass: $7
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