Taiwanese cinema in spotlight at Vancouver film festival

Vancouver, Sept. 6 (CNA) The annual Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival, held Friday and Saturday, screened 21 films under the theme "Perception and Reality -- Through Taiwan's Lens" to highlight the island's cultural richness, according to the organizer.

The two-day event also hosted panel discussions to encourage exchanges between Taiwanese and Canadian filmmakers. About 200 attendees, including Canadian officials, members of the Taiwanese community and film enthusiasts, joined the opening ceremony on Friday.

Now in its 19th year, the festival curated award-winning features such as Daughter's Daughter (女兒的女兒), Dìdi (弟弟), Doubles Match (乒乓男孩), Dead Talents Society (鬼才之道) and Salli (莎莉), along with 16 documentaries and shorts exploring themes of romance, social issues, humanitarian care, new immigrant culture and Indigenous perspectives.

Festival chair Charlene Liu said the selection demonstrated the breadth and creativity of contemporary Taiwanese cinema, offering Canadian audiences a fresh visual experience.

According to curator Apple Chang (張郁柔), panels this year featured professional filmmakers from Taiwan and Canada covering directing, editing, music, sound design and AI in film. She said the discussions gave young filmmakers guidance and opportunities to showcase their talents.

The opening screening featured a short directed by Lai Chien-hung (賴建宏), a former hospital radiologist who turned to filmmaking last year. The film tells the story of a girl who survived a plane crash learning to cope with trauma.

Canadian MP Jenny Kwan and Vancouver City Councillor Rebecca Bligh, both attending the opening event, praised Taiwan's democratic values and diversity, calling film a powerful medium to deepen understanding of the country.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver Director Liu Li-hsin (劉立欣) said the festival fostered dialogue between creators and audiences in Taiwan and Canada, showcasing personal and societal stories while reflecting Taiwan's connections to Canada and the world.