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Taiwanese LGBT-themed films to premiere online in California

  • Date:2020-09-17~2020-09-27
Taiwanese LGBT-themed films to premiere online in California

Two Taiwanese LGBT-themed cinematic works will be screened for the first time at the 44th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival from Sept. 17 to 27 showcasing the creative abundance of Taiwan, the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

With the joint effort made by Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles and the festival, "The Teacher (我的靈魂是愛做的)" and "Taiwan Equals Love (同愛一家)" will be available online for viewers in California under the category "Spotlight on Taiwan" at the one of the most widely recognized LGBTQ film festivals in the United States.

Directed by Chen Ming-lang (陳敏郎), "The Teacher" depicts the dilemma among love, family, and career faced by a gay teacher portrayed by Oscar Chiu (邱志宇), who was nominated for Best New Performer at the 56th Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival in 2019 for the challenging role. Chang Shih-ying (張詩盈), who played the role of the wife of an HIV-positive man, won the Best Supporting Actress at the event.

The documentary "Taiwan Equals Love," also directed by Chen, chronicles the clash between marriage equality activists and their opponents in late 2016 when Taiwan's political parties proposed drafts bill for same-sex marriage, bringing the nation the hope of marriage equality.

On May 17, 2019, Taiwan made the headlines when it became the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

The screenings of the two films will be followed by geo-blocked panel discussions on Taiwan's pursuit of equality and diversity and Q&A sessions, featuring Chen, Oscar Chiu, Chang Shih-ying, and Jay Lin (林志杰) who co-produced "Taiwan Equals Love."

To shed light on the documentary's producing process and how Taiwan's LGBT-themed cinema continues to blossom, a panel discussion will be available for worldwide viewing on Youtube and the festival's Facebook page since Sept. 19.

Founded in 1977 by the nonprofit organization Frameline, according to its official website, the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival has become the longest-running and largest exhibition event in the world.

Visit here for more information pertaining to the festival.