Chi Po-lin was a Taiwanese filmmaker and photographer whose work combined large-format aerial imagery with a concern for environmental preservation. Born on December 27, 1964 in Taipei, he built a reputation for striking photographs and cinematic sequences that presented landscapes and human impacts from bird’s-eye perspectives. His approach brought attention to land use, coastal erosion, and the changing patterns of Taiwan’s natural and built environments.
Working primarily in documentary film and photography, Chi favored aerial platforms to capture wide, panoramic views. He became widely recognized for a visual style that emphasizes scale: sweeping shots that situate small human activities within vast geographic contexts. This method made environmental issues visually accessible to general audiences, translating complex ecological processes into clear images that could prompt public discussion.
Major works and recognition
- Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above (2013) — a feature-length documentary constructed largely from aerial footage; it won Best Documentary at the 2013 Golden Horse Awards and drew broad public attention to Taiwan’s landscapes and environmental challenges.
- A planned sequel to Beyond Beauty — at the time of his death Chi was filming a follow-up project intended for release in 2019; the production remained unfinished after his accident.
Beyond Beauty played a significant role in shaping environmental discourse in Taiwan. The film’s images and narrative helped raise public awareness about issues such as coastal development, resource extraction, and habitat loss. Chi’s work is often cited as influential for its ability to link aesthetic appreciation of place with calls for conservation and policy attention.
Chi’s career is also notable for the combination of technical ambition and advocacy. He worked with small crews and specialized equipment to obtain stable aerial shots, and he used those images to support environmental reporting and educational outreach. Critics and viewers praised the films for their cinematography and for bringing remote or overlooked places into public view.
On June 10, 2017, Chi Po-lin died in a helicopter crash while shooting footage for the sequel in a mountainous area of Hualien County. He was 52. His sudden death cut short a prominent voice in Taiwan’s environmental documentary scene and left an unfinished project that many saw as crucial to continuing the conversation he had begun.
Chi Po-lin’s legacy rests on the way he fused art and activism: using aerial photography not just for spectacle but to document change, inform audiences, and encourage stewardship of natural landscapes. His most famous film remains a common reference point when discussing environmental media in Taiwan.