Set against the backdrop of Taiwan’s transition to democracy and rapid economic development in the late 1980s, ‘House of the Hummingbird’ explores the struggle for a modest living amidst growing wealth inequality and moral dilemmas. The film follows 11-year-old Liao Jie and his impoverished father, Liao Tai-lai, as they yearn for a place of their own. Their dreams are shattered by rising house prices, and Liao Jie encounters a cunning landlord who embodies the ruthless pursuit of wealth at the expense of empathy. The film delves into the conflicting values of compassion and self-interest, questioning the implications of the changing social landscape and the pursuit of material success.