The Carry-On
“What We Carry, Carries Us.”
What haunts us is not only death, but aging. Pei-Hua is drawn like a blurred sketch—gray, undefined, embodying the quiet experience of a woman growing older.Mothers often remain fixed in place, becoming a point of reference for their daughters’ journeys. Each of us carries a “carry-on”—unfinished burdens or lessons meant to be faced in this life. When we finally leave, do these carry-ons remain? In the film, a fire becomes a ritual of release, a way of saying goodbye. Life is rarely pure joy or sorrow, and The Carry-On is no exception.
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Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
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Cast
10 people
Hsu Li-wen Director · Lin Chia-hui Writer Tsai Wei-lung Cinematographer
First release December 27, 2025 · Produced in Taiwan · Original title 小包袱
Production
Taiwan
Produced in
Languages
Original title
小包袱
Original language
Chinese
Release dates
Taiwan · December 27, 2025
TV · Hakka TV
No release date listed for United States.
Taiwan
August 16, 2026 · Premiere · Taoyuan Film Festival
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