thóo-kong-á

Overview

[thóo-kong-á] is a stop-motion short film centered on the Taiwanese tradition of “bone collecting.” The story follows a boy who was raised by his grandfather, a professional bone collector. Since childhood, he was often asked to help with the ritual, though he never understood its meaning — only finding it exhausting and unpleasant. But through repeated experiences, he gradually comes to see that bone collecting isn’t something taboo — it is a gentle, meaningful practice. It’s a way for the living to say a proper farewell to the dead. In the end, with newfound understanding and respect, he personally performs the final bone collecting for his grandfather.