Starting from August 7, the 2020 Taiwan Film Festival of Boston (TFFB) will screen at least one movie a month until the end of the year online. Themed "Lost & Found," the annual event seeks to cast light on reconciliation, restoring love and trust amidst the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film festival will kick off with "Foolish Bride, Naïve Bridegroom (三八新娘憨子婿)" by prolific director Hsin Chi's (辛奇, 1924-2010) and director Chris Leong's (梁秀紅) short film, "Like Father, Like Daughter (前世情人的情人)." The two films will be streamed from August 7 to 9 and Leong will be sharing behind-the-scenes stories and her journey as a filmmaker at a post-screening forum on August 8.
Made in 1967, "Foolish Bride, Naïve Bridegroom" is a romantic comedy centering on a young couple who meets strong opposition from their parents. "Like Father, Like Daughter," meanwhile, is a sequel to the 1967 film. Featured late actor Wu Pong-fong (吳朋奉), the short film uses the footage from its predecessor to illuminate Taiwan's journey to an open and inclusive society against the backdrop of the nation becoming the first country in Asia to legalize gay marriage in 2019.
Covering topics including Taiwanese culture, society, and identity, the "Lost and Found" series will present "Dad's Suit (老大人)" in September, "Run For Dream (出發)" in October, and "Baby Steps (滿月酒)" in November. While "Dad's Suit" addresses the complex realities surrounding aging and elder care, "Run For Dream" is a documentary featuring Taiwanese ultra-marathon athlete Tommy Chen (陳彥博).
"Baby Steps" is a 2015 comedy that looks at challenges of nontraditional families that are formed by parental union status and the complications of surrogacy in Taiwan.
Organized by volunteers and Taiwanese movie fans in the Greater Boston Area, TFFB strives to promote Taiwanese culture through films and bring the stories of Taiwan to the world stage. Visit here to find out more about the annual event.