Two Taiwanese films, "Go Grandriders” and "Cha Cha for Twins,” will be screened during the Hawaii International Film Festival's spring showcase on April 1-14.
The two Taiwanese films were added to the original screen list of 32 films from 14 countries after the Ministry of Culture's Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles persuaded the organizers.
"Go Grandriders,” a documentary on 17 elderly motorcyclists' 13-day journey around Taiwan in 2007, broke the box-office record for a Taiwanese documentary as soon as it was released in 2012. The "grandriders,” four of whom wore hearing aids and two others survived cancer, overcame their ailments to complete the journey.
The elders come from various backgrounds and retired from different jobs from police officer, soldier, pastor to barber, making the group itself a reflection of Taiwan's diverse culture.
Inspired by the grandriders' feat, American producer Peter Starr of History Channel led a group of American elders to follow their footsteps last November.
”Cha Cha for Twins” is a coming-of-age romantic comedy that tells the story of a pair of twin sisters who are often mistaken for each other but eventually find their own self-identity.
The L.A. cultural center is one of the three overseas branches of Taiwan Academy established by the Ministry of Culture to promote Taiwanese culture in northern America.
"Grandriders” is scheduled to be screened on April 9, after "Cha Cha for Twins” is shown on April 6.