‘A Chip Odyssey’: Taiwan’s Semiconductor Journey
A Chip Odyssey is Taiwan’s first documentary chronicling the nation’s five-decade rise in the semiconductor industry, taking the country from a labor-intensive agricultural society to a global tech leader. Directed by Chu-chen Hsiao and produced by Ben Tsiang, the film weaves rare archival footage, interviews with nearly 80 pioneers, and untold stories of engineers, technicians and unsung contributors of Taiwan. It captures the spirit of “only success, no failure”that powered Taiwan’s transformation and reflects on its geopolitical inportance. This documentary has resonated deeply with audiences at home and abroad, sparking intergenerational conversations and offering the world a new lens through which it can understand Taiwan’s value.
*This AI-generated summary is based on reporting by TaiwanPlus and verified by newsroom fact checkers. Learn more about our policy here.
Taiwan’s first documentary on its world-leading semiconductor industry is drawing crowds and sparking conversations across generations.
Directed by Hsiao Chu-chen and produced by Ben Tsiang, A Chip Odyssey traces the country's transformation over five decades from a labor-intensive agricultural society into a critical hub for global chipmaking. The film combines rare archival footage with nearly 80 interviews, revealing the human stories behind one of the world’s most strategic industries.
“When it comes to the topic of technology — especially in documentary form — to look back on Taiwan over the past 50 years is a vast subject,” Hsiao said. “We kept asking ourselves: What is the spirit at the core of this story?”
Hsiao said that spirit, which enabled Taiwan to build a globally significant semiconductor industry from scratch, was essential for audiences to understand.
“I believe this is something we all need to understand,” she said. “We all need to know how we evolved from an island with no technology at all to becoming somewhere the world must pay attention to.”
The director and her team spent five years making the film, navigating shifting geopolitics and persuading industry leaders to share their stories. While Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. founder Morris Chang declined an in-depth interview, the filmmakers captured his remarks when he received the Li Kwoh-Ting Award, recounting his arrival in Taiwan and his role in shaping the industry.
One theme emerged repeatedly: failure was not an option. “Only success was allowed, failure was not,” Hsiao said, recalling a moment when veteran engineer Yang Ting-yuan broke down in tears describing the high stakes of the early days.
Tsiang said the pioneers shared “a quiet determination” and “a sense of mission” that sustained the industry. “They are quiet, but they are persistent,” he said. “That quality actually made the whole thing possible.”
Audience reactions have been strong. Viewers have told the filmmakers the documentary gave them new pride in Taiwan’s achievements. Some thanked Hsiao for acknowledging the contributions of female technicians and finance staff, groups rarely featured in coverage of the industry.
“I met a young person who told me, ‘Now I feel confident. I know how to introduce Taiwan to others,’” Hsiao said. “Like Shih Chin-tay said in the film, this is a story that must not be forgotten.”
The film also resonated with foreign audiences, including journalists attending the Computex trade show in Taipei. Hsiao said reporters from Germany, Israel, the United States, Japan and South Korea told her the film moved them to tears and deepened their understanding of Taiwan’s role in the global chip supply chain.
Looking ahead, the team hopes the film’s upcoming international tour will help viewers abroad see Taiwan beyond its factories and output figures. “Every technology success has a deeply human story,” Tsiang said. “Hopefully we can humanize Taiwan as a key word, not just a buzz word.”
