This year's Hawaiian International Film Festival (HIFF) is to feature seven Taiwanese productions, highlighting themes ranging from Taiwan's night market culture to ethnic relations and geopolitical tensions.
The festival, to be held from Thursday to Oct. 26, is to screen three Taiwanese feature films: Left-handed Girl (左撇子女孩), The Waves Will Carry Us (人生海海) and Before the Bright Day (南方時光), said the Ministry of Culture, which funded the "Spotlight on Taiwan" program.
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Set against the backdrop of Taiwan's bustling night markets, Left-handed Girl, the debut feature by director Tsou Shih-ching (鄒時擎), portrays the everyday struggles of navigating a patriarchal society, the ministry said.
The Waves Will Carry Us, directed by Taiwan-based Malaysian filmmaker Lau Kek-huat (廖克發), follows a man returning to Malaysia to arrange his father's funeral and explores tensions between different religions and ethnic groups, the ministry said.
Tsao Shih-han's (曹仕翰) Before the Bright Day is a coming-of-age story set during the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, exploring themes of family, friendship and love.
The "Spotlight on Taiwan" program is to also present four short films: The Fishbowl Girl (金魚缸小姐), which examines the body and identity; The Mother's Voice (母語), which addresses ethnic issues; and two Golden Horse-nominated animated shorts, Force Times Displacement (工) and Rocked by the Wind (風的前奏).
When the HIFF announced its award nominees late last month, Left-handed Girl and Before the Bright Day were both nominated for the Kau Ka Hōkū (shooting star) Award, which recognizes directors for their debut or sophomore feature-length films.
In addition, Before the Bright Day and The Waves Will Carry Us were nominated for the Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema Award, while The Fishbowl Girl was shortlisted for Best Short Film.
Chien Te-yuan (簡德源), director of the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, one of the ministry's branches in the US, described the festival as a launchpad for Asia-Pacific films entering the North American market.
Known for its diversity, the festival this year is to feature works that explore issues such as indigeneity, gender identity, democratization and social change, reflecting the growing global appeal of Taiwanese cinema, Chien said.
The HIFF award ceremony is scheduled for Thursday next week at the Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu.
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