A documentary of Taiwan from an aerial perspective, Beyond Beauty: Taiwan From Above introduces viewers to the island nation’s rich landscapes while also revealing the environmental effects of human development. Director and cinematographer Chi Po-lin captured his footage over the course of hundreds of hours spent filming from a helicopter, employing the geographical expertise that he developed as a photographer for the National Highway Engineering Bureau. The documentary describes both the “beauty and sorrow” of Taiwan by juxtaposing awe-inspiring views of its mountains and coastlines with images of industrial devastation that are equally affecting. The heart of the film is a sobering examination of the extensive pollution and destruction caused by factory waste, heavy logging, overharvesting of cash crops, and high levels of electricity use. No single individual or agency is accused of bearing the blame for the state of affairs, but the film presents the undeniable reality of the damage and urges audiences to acknowledge the truth. This environmentalist wake-up call garnered the 2013 Taipei Film Festival’s award for Best Documentary, as well as a pledge from President Ma Ying-jeou to begin work on many of the problems highlighted in the film