Love Begins Here

In Love Begins Here, young music teacher Hsu Xiuya, portrayed by Judy Ongg, discovers she has terminal cancer and decides to leave her stable career behind. She takes on the challenge of teaching at the Cixin Orphanage, a dilapidated facility in need of hope and renewal. Through her music and nurturing spirit, Xiuya not only wins the hearts of the children but also transforms the orphanage and its headmaster.

The film draws inspiration from Robert Wise’s The Sound of Music, with its musical elements and visually striking mountain settings. However, it carves its own path, focusing on themes of self-perfection and self-sacrifice reminiscent of Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Love Begins Here captures a pivotal moment in post-war Taiwan, reflecting the struggles and aspirations of a generation seeking to find meaning in their lives.