CKS Memorial Hall to host Tâi-gí film series as part of human rights program

Taipei, Aug. 10 (CNA) The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall will screen eight Taiwanese Hokkien (Tâi-gí) films as part of its annual human rights program, which also aims to promote the language, with free admission, the memorial hall's management said Monday.

The series is the second of its kind, following its debut last year after the renovated auditorium reopened in August 2025.

The eight films explore different aspects of human rights and equality and will be screened from Aug. 16 to Sept. 4. The memorial hall said six screenings will feature introductions before the films, followed by discussions with the directors.

The series opens Aug. 16 with director Lin Cheng-sheng's (林正盛) 1999 period romance "March of Happiness" (天馬茶房).

The film reflects the series' human rights theme. Its Chinese title refers to Tianma Tea House, which was the site of an incident that preceded the Feb. 28 (228) Incident in 1947.

Other films featured in screening events with their directors include "Little Big Women" (孤味), "The Great Buddha+" (大佛普拉斯), and "Ohong Village" (蚵豐村).

Joseph Hsu's (許承傑) "Little Big Women" explores family relationships in a female-centered household, while Huang Hsin-yao's (黃信堯) "The Great Buddha+" uses dark comedy to examine the struggles of Taiwan's underprivileged social classes.

Lim Lung-yin's (林龍吟) "Ohong Village" focuses on young people returning to their rural hometowns and the effects of land subsidence in Taiwan's coastal areas.

The program also includes two documentaries. Huang Hui-chen (黃惠偵) will screen and discuss "Small Talk" (日常對話), which explores the relationship between a mother and daughter through the lens of equal rights, while Elvis Lu (盧盈良) will introduce "A Holy Family" (神人之家), which examines faith and reconciliation with one's birth family.

The memorial hall said the six films whose directors will attend have all been selected for international festivals or competitions.

For example, "Small Talk" won the best documentary award at the 2017 Taipei Film Awards and the Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, while "The Great Buddha+" was screened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The remaining two films are newly restored classics from 1965, dating from what is regarded as the golden age of Tâi-gí cinema.

Although their directors are no longer living, film experts from the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute will provide introductions and lead post-screening discussions for Hsin Chi's (辛奇) "The Bride Who Has Returned from Hell" (地獄新娘) and Lin Tuan-chiu's (林摶秋) "Six Suspects" (六個嫌疑犯).

The memorial hall said those interested can register through its events webpage. Attendees with reservations must arrive at the auditorium at least 30 minutes before each screening to receive their seat assignments.