A film festival showcasing Taiwan’s success in advancing gender equality and LGBTQ rights kicked off Oct. 18 at Hammer Museum’s Billy Wilder Theater in Los Angles.
Co-presented by Taiwan Academy under Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, the Ministry of Culture and UCLA Film and Television Archive, the 11-day event features a dozen movies spanning genres like comedy, documentary, drama, experimental, romance and satire.
According to the MOC, the second edition of the festival comes at a time of significant societal change in Taiwan following the country’s legalization of same-sex marriage earlier in the year. The event draws the curtain back on how the local movie industry is taking the milestone development on board, the ministry said.
Yang Ting-zhen, director of Taiwan Academy, said almost half of the lineup was directed by women filmmakers. These talents infuse the eclectic offerings with a boldness and creativity certain to leave festival-goers clamoring for more, she said.
One of the highlights is the opening selection “Heavy Craving.” Directed and written by Hsieh Pei-ju, the 2019 Taipei Film Festival Audience Choice Award winner examines the hot-button issues of body image, fat-shaming and the darker side of self-discovery.
In addition to the screenings, a number of cinephile-friendly activities are scheduled on the sidelines. These include filmmaker Q&A sessions and a special forum in which luminaries such as Michael Berry, director of UCLA’s Center for Chinese Studies, share ideas and insights on the need to include more women in the industry and strategies to raise the global profile of Taiwan films. (YCH-E)
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