The Taiwan Oyster

Shot on location in Taiwan, The Taiwan Oyster tells the story of Darin and Simon, two American ex patriots who steal the corpse of a fallen countryman and embark on a quixotic road trip through the Taiwanese countryside in search of a suitable burial place for a person they barely knew. Taiwan in the year 2000, only thirteen years after the lifting of Marshall Law rule and still an unruly place referred to by many as the “Wild, Wild East,” provides a perfect setting for The Taiwan Oyster. Masquerading as a bender road movie, the darkly comic film explores deep existentialist questions as the protagonists journey deeper and deeper into the Taiwanese countryside. Darin and Simon’s quest for the perfect burial spot becomes a strange trip down Taiwan’s picturesque East Coast Highway as they encounter the unique cultures of Taiwan, welcoming families, violent gangsters, and Nikita, another lost soul who joins their odyssey. Along the way, they explore the Southeast Asian ex patriot experience, their own personal demons, and the universal questions that arise when one is confronted with an untimely death.