The Hawaii International Film Festival is entering its 45th edition this year. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, the "Spotlight on Taiwan" program, co-organized by the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles and the Hawaii International Film Festival, will be screened during the festival from October 16th to 26th. This year's screenings include three feature films: "Left-Handed Girl," "The Waves will Carry Us," and "Before the Bright Day," as well as four short films: "The Fishbowl Girl," "The Mother's Voice," "Force Times Displacement," and "Rocked by the Wind." Among them, the three feature films and the short film "The Fishbowl Girl" were shortlisted for awards, showcasing the rich new wave of Taiwanese films.
The Hawaii International Film Festival just announced its nominees for this year's awards. The Kau Ka Hōkū Award, given to first-or-second-time feature directors of narrative or documentary films, nominated Taiwanese directors Shih-Ching Tsou and Tsao Shih-Han. The NETPAC Award (The Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema), which recognizes outstanding Asia-Pacific films, listed "The Waves will Carry Us" and "Before the Bright Day." "The Fishbowl Girl" was also shortlisted for the Best Short Film Award, whose winner qualifies for being nominated for the Academy Award. The final winners will be announced on October 23.
"Left-Handed Girl," which will represent Taiwan in the 2026 Academy Awards for Best International Film, is Tsou's debut independent directorial work. It captures Taiwanese night market culture through a unique lens and depicts the struggles and daily lives of different characters in a patriarchal society. Malaysian Chinese Director Liao will have his world premiere in Hawaii for "The Waves will Carry Us." The story follows an overseas Chinese returning to his hometown to attend his father's funeral and overcoming numerous obstacles due to racial and religious factors. Director Tsao's "Before the Bright Day," making its North American premiere, is set for the history of the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis and the first direct presidential election, delicately depicting a young man's coming-of-age journey amidst family, love, friendship, and social turmoil. The short film to be played includes "The Fishbowl Girl" exploring the body and identity, "The Mother's Voice" addressing ethnic issues, and two films nominated for the Best Animated Short Film at this year's Golden Horse Awards, "Force Times Displacement" and "Rocked by the Wind."
The Hawaii International Film Festival, emphasizing cultural exchange across the Pacific Rim, is a major international film festival which serves as a gateway for Asian-Pacific films to enter North America. The Taiwanese films selected for this year's festival showcase a vision that transcends national boundaries, addressing issues that impact Indigenous people, gender, society, and democratization. These films encompass a wide range of creative perspectives, highlighting Taiwan's increasingly vibrant film presence in a global context.
For more information, please visit https://hiff.org/