The film *Detention* (2019) is analyzed as a potent reflection of Taiwan’s White Terror period, manifesting through haunting imagery in its characters’ guilt, suppressed memories, and forbidden love. The story employs ghosts, banned texts, and disturbing visuals – particularly those depicting facelessness and decapitation – to evoke the atmosphere of political repression. This haunting narrative suggests the persistence of trauma in Taiwanese collective memory. *Detention* cleverly interweaves cultural references, highlighting the historically layered nature of Taiwanese identity. Furthermore, the recurring motif of headless figures symbolizes political violence, erasure, and the unresolved wounds left by the White Terror era in Taiwan. The film serves as a crucial exploration of historical trauma within the context of Taiwanese identity.