The Extra's Journey

Unseen on screen, unforgettable in life — the moving story of three background actors pursuing their dreams under the spotlight of an unforgiving industry.



Would you still chase a dream if no one believed in it—even you?


In the flickering shadow of the spotlight, a group of background actors struggle between reality and ideals, their stories echoing the quiet resilience of those who dream without applause.
Ke-Han, nearing thirty, doesn’t look the part of a leading man, but he trains relentlessly, dreaming of one day sharing the screen with martial arts icon Donnie Yen. His journey is marked by persistence, humility, and the unshakable desire to be seen.


Queenie, a young woman from a small town, juggles life as a beauty clinic nurse and a background actress. Though the path is harsh and often demands uncomfortable compromises, she clings to her hope of becoming a professional performer.


This poetic documentary gently follows Taiwanese extras from different generations and backgrounds—those whose names don’t appear in credits, yet whose lives are rich with unspoken struggle and quiet ambition. For them, family is both sanctuary and burden; love often arrives wrapped in worry.


Through six years of intimate observation, director Wu Hsin-Yu captures their world with humor, tenderness, and remarkable authenticity. The result is a moving portrait of those living on the margins of cinema, chasing dreams that flicker like film—fragile, fleeting, but fiercely alive.
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