Watching crowds assemble and quietly file onto a train in the early morning darkness, you begin to suspect that this is no ordinary commute. But you don’t yet know why. As profound and satisfying as this journey’s ultimate destination is, the images that linger after viewing this intriguing film are the faces of expectant, then exultant, pilgrims to Ali Shan, Taiwan’s legendary mountain, also known as “ancestor mountain.” This suspenseful and ethereal short film shows us that sharing a primal experience may be the most joyful way to begin the day.  MP