HOTEL SALTWATER

In 1970s Taiwan, a young revolutionary pioneer joined a movement for agricultural rights, only to face brutal opposition and become a political prisoner.

Young revolutionary pioneer LÍ Bûn-khim was arrested for participating in the large demonstration organized by the Formosa Magazine on December 10, 1979. While in prison, he learned to survive by soaking rice in saltwater, mixing it with fond memories shared with his beloved A-sûn, the joys and sorrows experienced with family and friends, and the enduring hope for democracy. The prison, which is called jokingly as “Hotel Saltwater,” could confine the tortured bodies of Bûn-khim and his companions, but it couldn’t imprison their souls longing for freedom and democracy.