15th annual Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival streaming online until September 19

The 15th annual Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival (TWFF) is returning online this year, accessible to people all across Canada from September 10 to 19.

According to [Stir], this year's theme, “reacquaintance”, means “to refamiliarize yourself with something you already know”. TWFF knows that audiences all have some degree of interest and knowledge about Taiwan, but this year, people can rediscover Taiwan—and find connections between Taiwan and Canada—through screenings of films ranging from dramas to documentaries.

Through eight films, four discussion panels, and four shorts, 2021 TWFF hopes that audiences will embrace other people with warm hearts and kindness and relate to the colorful stories in the films. Ultimately, TWFF aims to generate mutual understanding and empathy toward others while raising awareness of the need to cooperate with local non-profit organizations to support socially vulnerable groups.

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"Dear Tenant" received 3 awards at the 2020 Golden Horse Awards. (Photo / Retrieved from the movie)

According to [Taiwan News], the opening films this year were the thriller "Detention" and the rom-com "My Missing Valentine," which were screened in the first two days.

Directed by John Hsu (徐漢強), the award-winning "Detention" looks back at the White Terror period of Taiwan's history, when thousands were executed. The director of "My Missing Valentine," Chen Yu-Hsun (陳玉勳), won Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards in 2020, the equivalent of the Oscars in Taiwan.

"Whale Island," "A Life That Sings," "The Way Home," and "The Good Daughter" will be available virtually in Canada until Saturday (Sept. 18).

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"Detention" looks back at the White Terror period of Taiwan's history, when thousands were executed. (Photo / Retrieved from Facbeook)

"Dear Tenant," directed by Cheng Yu-chieh (鄭有傑) and starring Mo Tzu-yi (莫子儀), along with director Ko Chen-Nien's (柯貞年) drama "The Silent Forest," will close the festival on Sunday.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival (TWFF).