The Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival is an internationally known LGBTQ film festival committed to gender equality and diversity. For this year's film festival, the Taiwan Program will present a feature film titled "The Teacher (我的靈魂是愛做的)," and a short film titled "Sunshine in the Ruins (晃遊)," with post-screening Q&As from August 24th-26th.
"The Teacher" focuses on high school civics teacher Kevin, who falls in love with an HIV-positive married man. Kevin is stuck in a three-way dilemma balancing his mother’s apathy, fear of getting infected, the threats from the married man's wife, and unpleasant rumors on campus. Actress Winnie Chang (張詩盈) plays the wife, perfectly portraying the frustration, jealousy, and anger from her husband's betrayal. Her amazing performance won her the 56th Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actress. Director Chen Ming-Lang (陳敏郎) will be participating in the virtual post-screening Q&A.
Included in the short film section "Shorts: Heart to Break," the short film -- "Sunshine in the Ruins" is about the inability to accept homosexuality among the general public. The short film centers around intergenerational communications that take place in military dependents’ village of Taiwan, with a hope of capturing the discomfort in facing the topics on homosexuality and acceptance after reflection. Director Chou Yu-Cheng (周禹丞) will share his creation process and his analysis on LGBTQ cultural narrative in Taiwan during the virtual post-screening Q&A.
"These two films present the breathtaking affections and struggles through their intricate narratives," said Emmy Yang (楊婷媜), director of Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles. She added, "they represent the creative freedom and the dedication to equal rights for LGBTQ in Taiwan. Through this well-known platform, these stellar Taiwanese LGBTQ works will be unveiled to amaze the American audience."
With support from the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles has collaborated with Outfest Los Angeles for three consecutive years since 2018, endorsing the Taiwanese LGBTQ films and Taiwan's achievements in being the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
Due to the pandemic this year, Outfest has turned into a virtual film festival over 11 days from August 20 through 30, showcasing more than 160 films, panels, and live events from over 20 countries, as well as drive-in screenings. For more information about the 2020 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, please visit here.
Outfest | Taiwan Program
Time: August 24th - Wednesday, August 26th PST
(only available to viewers in the United States)
Post-screening Q&As will be available during the whole festival (August 20th-30th)
Please note admission is included in All-Access Pass, and can be purchased through Shorts Package: https://www.outfestnow.com/products/shorts-package.