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Upcoming Event |
Mali and Sandy’s ongoing project “Hetero-topography” at Vancouver Art Gallery |
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Invited by the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Taiwan Academy, Mali Wu—one of the leading artists of the feminist avant-garde in Taiwan—and Sandy Hsiu-chih Lo—an independent curator focusing on urban studies—are conducting the pilot project “Hetero-topography” in the Greater Vancouver area.
For this project, they will meet with a variety of groups and professionals working in agriculture, food, and culture. A public community event will be held on the afternoon of November 22 at the Vancouver Art Gallery. At this gathering, participants can share migration stories and dishes from their cultural backgrounds, creating a space for connection, conversation, and reflection. Associate Professor Henry Tsang from Emily Carr University of Art and Design will also share his food project during the event.
People who are interested in joining should contact us at taiwanacademyla@moc.gov.tw for an invitation. |
Ongoing Event |
Hung Dance’s Birdy Takes Flight Across North America |
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Following its acclaimed debut at the American Dance Festival (ADF) in 2024, Hung Dance officially launched its Birdy North America Tour this November, bringing Taiwan’s contemporary dance artistry to audiences across the United States and Canada.
Supported by the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles and Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, the tour began on November 12 at the Field Arts & Events Hall in Port Angeles, Washington, and will continue through December 13, visiting Victoria, Denver, Houston, Vancouver, Scottsdale, and Dallas.
Led by artistic director Hung-Chung Lai, Hung Dance has become one of Taiwan’s most dynamic contemporary dance companies, known for its unique “Contemporary Eastern Aesthetics” that blend martial arts rhythm, calligraphic movement, and meditative stillness.
Their signature work Birdy embodies the desire for freedom while confronting the gravity of reality — a poetic journey expressed through powerful and precise physicality. The tour also includes community master classes and artist talks, fostering deeper cultural exchange between Taiwan and North American performing arts communities.
As the company’s first large-scale tour in North America, Birdy not only showcases Taiwan’s contemporary dance excellence but also represents the creative vitality and cultural spirit that connect Taiwan with the world.
Tour Schedule (Nov–Dec 2025)Port Angeles（U.S.A.）｜Field Arts & Events Hall｜Nov 12 Victoria（Canada）｜Royal Theatre｜Nov 14–15 Denver（U.S.A.）｜Newman Center for the Performing Arts, University of Denver｜Nov 19 Houston（U.S.A.）｜Cullen Theater, Wortham Center｜Nov 21–22 Vancouver（Canada）｜Vancouver Playhouse｜Nov 28–29 Scottsdale（U.S.A.）｜Virginia G. Piper Theater, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts｜Dec 6 Dallas（U.S.A.）｜AT&T Performing Arts Center｜Dec 13 |
Taiwanese Films Launch in Los Angeles — On the Road to the Oscars |
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The 2026 Academy Awards season has officially begun. Throughout November, the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles partnered with the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) to present a series of screenings across Los Angeles. The program featured three Taiwanese films selected for this year’s Oscar campaign and brought strong engagement from local audiences, industry professionals, and film scholars.
Focus on Taiwan – Asian World Film Festival
At the Asian World Film Festival, the Focus on Taiwan program introduced three distinctive works that represent the creative range and artistic depth of contemporary Taiwanese cinema. Screenings were well attended, and many audience members expressed appreciation for the films’ emotional storytelling and their thoughtful exploration of identity, memory, and intergenerational experience.
The Left Handed Girl
Taiwan’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film category
Side A: A Summer Day
An Oscar qualified live action short film
From Island to Island
An Oscar qualified documentary feature
Screenings & Events
Asian World Film Festival @ Culver Theater
Nov 14 (Fri) | 4:00 PM – Side A: A Summer Day | Q&A with Director Kin-Fai Wan
Nov 14 (Fri) | 6:30 PM – The Left-Handed Girl | Q&A with Director Shih-Ching Tsou, Writer Sean Baker, Cast Nina Ye & Shih-Yuan Ma
Nov 15 (Sat) | 6:00 PM – The Left-Handed Girl (Encore) | Q&A with Writer Sean Baker
Nov 17 (Mon) | 2:00 PM – From Island to Island | Q&A with Director Kek Huat Lau
American Cinematheque @ Los Feliz 3 Theatre
Nov 16 (Sun) | 4:00 PM – Side A: A Summer Day + From Island to Island | Q&A with Directors Kin-Fai Wan & Kek Huat Lau
Audience Response
Across all venues, the screenings generated meaningful conversations about Taiwan’s contemporary social landscape and its diverse cultural voices.
Several attendees highlighted the unique visual language of the Taiwanese films and remarked on the emotional resonance of the stories, particularly their portrayals of youth, family, and historical memory. The question and answer sessions were especially active, reflecting strong curiosity about Taiwan’s creative process and the filmmakers’ personal journeys.
These events marked an encouraging beginning to Taiwan’s 2026 Oscar campaign. By presenting narrative features, short films, and documentary works, the November screenings offered Los Angeles audiences a vivid introduction to the depth, creativity, and humanity that define Taiwan’s cinema today.
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Update Information |
Two Taiwanese short films won awards at HIFF and SDAFF |
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| Taiwanese cinema is making waves across North America, with two exceptional short films earning awards at two significant festivals, respectively. Director Wu Hung-Yi's The Fishbowl Girl won an honorary mention of the Best Short Film Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF). The jury recognized its bold directorial vision in narrative storytelling to a film that crafted an intimate, erotic experience between two strangers. Meanwhile, director Birdy Wei-Ting Hung’s A Brighter Summer Day for the Lady Avengers was honored with the Special Jury Prize at the San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF). The festival recommended the film, noting that "film dreams can be as deadly, and delicious, as watermelon soaked in summer." A huge congratulations to both directors for these well-deserved international honors! |
Literature from Taiwan is getting more appreciable among literary translators |
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| American Literary Translators Association (ALTA), a long-term partner of the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, held its annual conference in Tucson, Arizona, from November 5 to 8. The event highlighted the increasing influence of Taiwanese literature on the international translation scene. During the awards ceremony on November 6, Taiwanese translator Lin King won the First Translation Prize for Taiwan Travelogue. The conference also featured emerging talent. On November 7th, with the support of the Emerging Translators Mentorship Program, Lya Shaffer presented her translation of Chang Chuan-fen's Hooligan WangXin-fu. Notably, this work was mentored by Lin King, bridging generations of translators. Taiwanese literature remains an indispensable component of the ALTA conference, with a growing number of Sinophone translators dedicated to bringing diverse Taiwanese literary works to a global audience. Applications for the following year's mentorship program are welcomed by November 30 at https://alta.submittable.com/submit/. |
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