The cinema of Taiwan or Taiwan cinema is deeply rooted in the island's unique history. Since its introduction to Taiwan in 1901 under Japanese rule, cinema has developed in Taiwan under ROC rule through several distinct stages, including taiyu pian of the 1950s and 1960s, genre films of the 1960s and 1970s, including jiankang xieshi pian, wuxia pian, aiqing wenyi pian, zhengxuan pian, and shehui xieshi pian, Taiwan New Cinema of the 1980s, and the new wave of the 1990s and afterwards. Starting in the second decade of the new millennium, documentary films also became a representative part of Taiwan cinema.
The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Taipei Golden Horse Awards are a film festival and associated awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. The festival and ceremony were founded in 1962 by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan and is now run as an independent organisation. The awards ceremony is usually held in November or December in Taipei, although the event has also been held in other locations in Taiwan in recent times.
Hou Hsiao-hsien is a retired Mainland Chinese-born Taiwanese film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. He is a leading figure in world cinema and in Taiwan's New Wave cinema movement. He won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1989 for his film A City of Sadness (1989), and the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 for The Assassin (2015). Other highly regarded works of his include The Puppetmaster (1993) and Flowers of Shanghai (1998).
A City of Sadness is a 1989 Taiwanese historical drama directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. It tells the story of a family embroiled in the "White Terror" that was wrought on the Taiwanese people by the Kuomintang government (KMT) after their arrival from mainland China in the late 1940s, during which thousands of Taiwanese and recent emigres from the Mainland were rounded up, shot, and/or sent to prison. The film was the first to deal openly with the KMT's authoritarian misdeeds after its 1945 takeover of Taiwan, which had been relinquished following Japan's defeat in World War II, and the first to depict the February 28 Incident of 1947, in which thousands of people were massacred by the KMT.
A Brighter Summer Day is a 1991 Taiwanese epic crime drama film directed by Edward Yang, associated with the New Taiwanese Cinema. Its English title is derived from the lyrics of Elvis Presley's 1960 rendition of "Are You Lonesome Tonight?". Set in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the film centers on Hsiao Si’r, a boy from a middle-class home who veers into juvenile delinquency.
The Knot is a 2006 Chinese romantic drama film directed by Yin Li. It won the Best Film in the 2007 Golden Rooster Awards, and was named Outstanding Film by the 2008 Hundred Flowers Awards. The film was China's submission to the 80th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not nominated.
Island Etude is a 2006 Taiwanese film directed by Chen Hwai-en. It was Taiwan's submission to the 80th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Monga is a 2010 Taiwanese gangster film. The film features Ethan Juan, Mark Chao, Ma Ju-lung, Rhydian Vaughan and Ko Chia-yen. Set in the titular district of Taipei, the film follows the coming-of-age of Mosquito and initiation into gang life in the 1980s. The film was directed and co-written by Doze Niu, who also appears in the film.
Doze Niu is a Taiwanese actor, film director, show host, screenwriter, and producer. As a film director, he is best known for the Taiwanese film Monga.
Aftershock is a 2010 Chinese disaster-drama film directed by Feng Xiaogang and produced by Huayi Brothers, starring Zhang Zifeng, Xu Fan, Zhang Jingchu, Chen Daoming, Lu Yi, Zhang Guoqiang and Li Chen. The film is based on a novella by Zhang Ling and depicts the aftermath of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. It was released in China on 22 July 2010, and is the first "big commercial film" IMAX film created outside the United States. The film was a major box office success, and has grossed more than ¥650 million at the Chinese box office.
My Memories of Old Beijing is a 1983 Chinese drama film directed by Wu Yigong, based on the novel of the same name written by Lin Haiyin, first published in 1960. Winner of the 3rd Golden Rooster Awards for Best Director, Best Music and Best Supporting Actress in 1983, the film was selected as China's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 56th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Execution in Autumn is a 1972 Taiwanese drama film directed by Hsing Lee. The film was selected as the Taiwanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 45th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
The Birth of New China is a 1989 Chinese drama film directed by Li Qiankuan. The film was selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Secret Love for the Peach Blossom Spring is a 1992 Taiwanese comedy film written and directed by Stan Lai based on the play Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land. The film was selected as the Taiwanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 65th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Super Citizen Ko is a 1995 Taiwanese drama film directed by Wan Jen. The film was selected as the Taiwanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 68th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Tonight Nobody Goes Home is a 1996 Taiwanese comedy film directed by Sylvia Chang. The film was selected as the Taiwanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 69th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Small Talk is a 2016 Taiwanese documentary feature film in which the director Huang Hui-chen attempts to reveal and reconcile a painful past shared between herself and her mother A-nu, a lesbian Taoist priestess.
