2021
No matter where you are, not just in Taiwan, international movie fans can easily watch too! The first wave of films from emerging creators are now live in our international section. Featuring top selections from prestigious film festivals like Golden Horse Awards and Golden Harvest Awards, as well as many highly anticipated emerging works for you to explore anytime, anywhere!
The theme of this program is hookup films — stories of young men and women in the city, some by chance, others by design. Each work carries a strong sense of space: homes, subways, laundromats, saunas — online and offline, full of contemporary texture. Sex is the desire to live; when facing death, I feel small, and each night becomes a luxury. At some point, I stopped saying “forever” and began saying “the rest of my life,” though what remains may be only tonight. In one scene, he asks, “Why do you make films?” She answers, “Because I like it.” Because I like it — that’s how simple the reason is for this generation.
In response to the partial reopening during the 2021 pandemic, the Kaohsiung Film Archive launched the “K Series” project—a collection of ultra-short films titled with the letter “K.” The “K” stands for both Kaohsiung and the spirit of “K.O.”—knocking out all restrictions and limitations brought by the pandemic. Shot entirely in Kaohsiung and produced in less than two months, these short films overcame countless obstacles during the COVID era. Each bite-sized story bursts with creative power, reflecting the life struggles five emerging directors sought to break through—be it the fading traces of the old city, familial bonds in a movie theater, generational conflict between mother and daughter, the desolate search for queer desire in an apocalyptic world, or the vicious cycle of gossip and rumors in the internet age. With each story shaped by a distinct directorial voice, the “K Series” showcases the boundless creative possibilities that emerged in the shadow of a global crisis.