Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh returns for its second edition between 25 and 31 October with a fantastic range of Taiwanese cinema gems, many of them UK premieres, dating from the 1930s up to 2020, presented through in-person screenings and digital talks at Glasgow Film Theatre and Summerhall in Edinburgh and a free digital programme of films.
With the theme of Disruptions and Transformations, inspired by the fast-changing and unsettling world in the past few years, the Festival explores both the monumental historic shifts the Taiwanese society experienced over the decades but also portrays the seemingly small disruptions of the everyday.
Featuring the work of legends such as Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Edward Yang, and exploring topics such as war, urban life and the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, the free programme of digital screenings is now available to pre-book on the Festival's digital platform. Access is limited to a specific number of viewers per film so audiences are advised to book early.
For the first time, the Festival also presents a range of in-person screenings. As part of their special climate-focused strand in the run up to COP26, Glasgow Film Theatre will host a screening of two environmental documentaries showing how Taiwanese filmmakers address environmental transformations caused by economic and industrial progress - after all, the climate emergency is the ultimate change and interruption we all must respond to together. On 25 October, Sacred Forest (2019) will delve deep into the majestic cypress forest in Taiwan and on 30 October, Whale Island (2020) will explore how the ocean might become our home one day. Tickets on sale soon.
Sounds in Silence is a double bill of silent cinema gems offering an extraordinary glimpse into the everyday lives of Taiwanese people in the early and mid-20th century, presented at Summerhall on 27 October and featuring new score from acclaimed composer and musician Lim Giong and live music by Glasgow-based experimental musician Rory Green. With contemporary film scoring featuring on the archive films from decades ago, the event is going to take audience on a trip through time to Taiwan in the 1930s and 1960s.
