Father Mother Sister Brother
Calamity Woman
Tulip-chan
Divine Intervention
China's Abandoned Daughters - Daughters of Putien
Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ+ identities seem to have become increasingly visible in everyday life. Yet when we turn to Taiwan's mainstream media and cinema, where are the stories of lesbian women? On this island, do the loves left unspoken, the relationships that defy definition, and the intimacies that blur the lines between friendship and romance still remain outside the frame? And when lesbian women do appear on screen, how often are their stories truly told from their own perspectives? Through a selection of Taiwanese films, we summon those who have always been here, yet have rarely been seen. “I summon you by this name. Reveal yourself.”
Somewhere in Time, River and Stone
I am happy to make this film for you. These two girls, Shoushan and stalactite, monkeys and spiers, rain and sun and darkness. Because of love.
Who’ll Stop the Rain
One Summer's Day
Do Not Go Gentle in Taipei
Do Not Go Gentle in Taipei
2022 金鐘獎｜電視電影獎
Golden Horse Award Best Supporting Actress winners Wang Yu-xuan, Angel Lee, and Devin Pan showed their superb acting skills.
Before they became masters, they all had a first film. And in those early works, the seeds of their signature styles were often already there. Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue plunges the relationship between idols and fans into a psychological labyrinth where reality and illusion blur, influencing countless filmmakers who followed. Christopher Nolan’s Following, which he wrote, directed, edited, and shot himself, already hints at the narrative sensibilities that would later shape Memento and Inception. Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides wraps the mystery surrounding five sisters in a dreamlike haze, laying the groundwork for her distinctive style. Meanwhile, Take Out, co-directed by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou, captures the realities beneath the American Dream of Chinese immigrant delivery workers. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s graduation film from Tokyo University of the Arts, Passion, already reveals the tension and depth of dialogue that he would continue to explore in Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Drive My Car.
Perfect Blue
Satoshi Kon's first animated feature film. When you can't believe in yourself, will the existence of "my" be wiped out?
The Virgin Suicides
Expire on 11.30
A brand-new restoration of Sofia Coppola's stunning directorial debut
#KaohsiungFilmFestival returns on October 9! Before this year’s festival kicks off, revisit some of the standout films from recent editions and get into festival mode from home. As Taiwan’s largest international short film festival, the Kaohsiung Film Festival has long provided a platform for emerging filmmakers to be discovered, while turning the port city into an annual autumn gathering for film lovers. We’ve selected seven films from the festival’s 2022–2024 lineups, led by the newly added Cat and Chicken. From Meinong and Kaohsiung to Malaysia, and from festival regulars to rising filmmakers, this selection brings together some of the most memorable works from recent editions of KFF.
After the Cat
After the Cat
2025 金穗獎最佳導演
An elderly mother and daughter bid farewell to their beloved cat, reflecting on life and death in a silent gaze.
The Night Mist at the Harbor
“The Night Mist at the Harbor” draws on same-sex murder cases in colonial and contemporary Kaohsiung, weaving Taiwan’s double-edged historical symbols into a new visual narrative, accompanied by a Taiwanese-language cover of the Japanese song to embody a self-as-other historical assemblage.
To the Sea
An elderly mother has been raising her mentally retarded son alone for many years. She is exhausted physically and mentally and decides to take her child to the sea.
