Ever wondered where to begin your cinematic journey into the vibrant and poignant world of Taiwanese film? Taiwan’s cinema boasts a rich history, from the groundbreaking New Wave movement of the 1980s to contemporary blockbusters, offering a unique blend of historical reflection, personal introspection, and often, a touch of whimsical charm.
Unlike some more overtly dramatic or action-packed cinemas, Taiwanese films often excel in quiet observation, subtle emotional depth, and stunning visual storytelling. They frequently explore themes of family, identity, urban alienation, and the impact of historical events on individual lives.
This list is your perfect starting point! We’ve curated 10 diverse films that showcase the breadth and depth of Taiwanese cinema, making them accessible and compelling for newcomers. So, grab some bubble tea 🥤, get comfy, and prepare to be transported!
1. Yi Yi (A One and a Two…) (2000) by Edward Yang
- Why It’s a Must-See: Often hailed as a masterpiece of contemporary cinema, Yi Yi offers a profound and moving exploration of family life in modern Taipei. Director Edward Yang masterfully weaves together the stories of three generations of the Jian family, each grappling with their own existential questions, dreams, and disappointments. It’s a film about the ordinary complexities of life, revealing universal truths through a deeply personal lens. It won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival. 🏆
- Perfect for Beginners Because: Despite its nearly three-hour runtime, Yi Yi is incredibly accessible and emotionally resonant. Its themes of love, loss, regret, and the search for meaning are universally relatable. Yang’s patient, observational style allows you to truly inhabit the characters’ lives, making their triumphs and struggles feel intimately real. It’s a gentle, wise, and ultimately hopeful film.
- Expect to Feel: A profound sense of introspection, quiet empathy, and a bittersweet appreciation for the beauty and challenges of everyday existence. You’ll likely shed a tear or two! 👨👩👧👦💔✨
2. A Brighter Summer Day (1991) by Edward Yang
- Why It’s a Must-See: This epic, nearly four-hour film is a monumental achievement in world cinema. Set in the early 1960s Taipei, it follows a teenage boy, Si’r, and his friends navigating gang rivalries, first love, and the anxieties of a society in transition – many families, like Si’r’s, fled mainland China after the Civil War. It’s a sprawling, meticulous portrait of youth, delinquency, and the search for identity against a backdrop of historical tension.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: While long, A Brighter Summer Day is an immersive experience. Its coming-of-age story, complete with high school dramas and youthful passions, is universally understandable. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a specific historical period in Taiwan without being overly didactic. It’s less about grand historical events and more about how they subtly shape individual lives. Prepare for an investment of time, but the payoff is immense.
- Expect to Feel: A deep sense of nostalgia, the raw energy and confusion of adolescence, and a melancholic understanding of how innocence can be lost. It’s a truly transportive experience. 🏫🔪🎸
3. City of Sadness (1989) by Hou Hsiao-Hsien
- Why It’s a Must-See: The first Taiwanese film to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, City of Sadness is a landmark work. It bravely confronts the “White Terror” period in Taiwan (post-WWII political oppression) through the lens of a single family, the Lins, living in Jiufen. The story unfolds as the family grapples with the changing political landscape, personal tragedies, and the struggle for survival. It’s a masterpiece of historical cinema.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: While dealing with sensitive historical subject matter, Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s signature long takes and observational style allow the history to unfold organically around the characters, rather than being explicitly explained. The focus remains on the human drama and the family’s resilience. It’s a powerful and deeply moving experience that will broaden your understanding of Taiwan’s past.
- Expect to Feel: A profound sense of melancholy, historical weight, and an appreciation for human resilience in the face of adversity. It’s a visually stunning and emotionally potent film. 😔⏳🤫
4. The Puppetmaster (1993) by Hou Hsiao-Hsien
- Why It’s a Must-See: Another essential Hou Hsiao-Hsien film, The Puppetmaster is a unique blend of biography, documentary, and historical drama. It tells the life story of Li Tian-lu, a renowned Taiwanese puppeteer, from his birth in 1909 through the Japanese occupation and early post-WWII years. The film interweaves Li Tian-lu’s own recollections with beautifully reconstructed scenes, often presented in the style of traditional Taiwanese opera.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: This film offers an unparalleled window into traditional Taiwanese culture and history, particularly the art of puppetry. While slow-paced and contemplative, its unique narrative structure and visual beauty are captivating. It’s a meditative journey that immerses you in a bygone era, making it a truly enriching experience.
- Expect to Feel: A deep connection to Taiwanese cultural heritage, a sense of quiet wonder, and an appreciation for the art of storytelling in its purest forms. 🎭📜🔮
5. Vive L’Amour (1994) by Tsai Ming-liang
- Why It’s a Must-See: Tsai Ming-liang is known for his minimalist, highly contemplative style, and Vive L’Amour is a prime example of his genius. It follows three lonely individuals—a real estate agent, a street vendor, and a young man—who unknowingly share an empty apartment in Taipei. With minimal dialogue, the film explores themes of urban isolation, unspoken desires, and the longing for human connection in a bustling metropolis. It won the Golden Lion at Venice. 🏆
- Perfect for Beginners Because: While it might seem challenging with its slow pace and sparse dialogue, Vive L’Amour is incredibly effective at conveying emotion through visual storytelling and the actors’ subtle performances. It’s a masterclass in mood and atmosphere, drawing you into the characters’ inner worlds. It’s a great introduction to “slow cinema” and the power of less-is-more filmmaking.
- Expect to Feel: A poignant sense of loneliness, a quiet understanding of human longing, and a profound appreciation for the unspoken nuances of urban life. 🏙️🚶♀️💔
6. Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) by Ang Lee
- Why It’s a Must-See: From the globally acclaimed director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain), Eat Drink Man Woman is a delightful and heartwarming film centered around a widowed master chef, Mr. Chu, and his three adult daughters living in Taipei. Their Sunday family dinners become a ritual where secrets, desires, and changing family dynamics are subtly revealed through the preparation and consumption of exquisite food.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: This film is incredibly accessible, charming, and relatable. The themes of family, tradition versus modernity, love, and the role of food in culture are universal. Ang Lee’s direction is warm and engaging, making it a perfect entry point into Taiwanese cinema that balances cultural insights with broad appeal. Plus, the food looks absolutely mouthwatering! 😋
- Expect to Feel: Warm, entertained, and perhaps a little hungry! It’s a charming exploration of family bonds and the delicious complexities of life. 👨🍳🍲💞
7. The Wedding Banquet (1993) by Ang Lee
- Why It’s a Must-See: Another fantastic early work by Ang Lee, The Wedding Banquet is a groundbreaking romantic comedy-drama that deals with cultural clash, family expectations, and LGBTQ+ themes. It follows Wai-Tung, a gay Taiwanese-American man living in New York, whose traditional parents decide to visit and arrange a marriage for him. To appease them, he and his American boyfriend, Simon, concoct a fake wedding with a struggling artist, leading to hilarious and heartfelt complications.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: It’s incredibly witty, genuinely funny, and deeply empathetic. The film navigates complex themes with humor and warmth, making it highly engaging. It offers a wonderful look at cross-cultural dynamics and the universal struggle for acceptance within family, all while being thoroughly entertaining.
- Expect to Feel: Laughter, warmth, moments of genuine emotion, and an appreciation for how love transcends cultural and generational divides. 😄🏳️🌈🥂
8. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by Ang Lee
- Why It’s a Must-See: While largely a Wuxia (martial arts fantasy) film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a Taiwanese co-production that became a global phenomenon, winning four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film. It tells a captivating story of love, honor, and betrayal in 19th-century China, featuring breathtaking martial arts choreography and stunning cinematography.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: This film is a visual spectacle and an exciting adventure that combines philosophical depth with thrilling action. It’s incredibly popular and widely recognized, serving as an excellent bridge for those who might be new to Taiwanese or Chinese-language cinema but enjoy action or fantasy genres. It’s a cinematic experience you won’t forget.
- Expect to Feel: Awe, excitement, emotional resonance from the complex character relationships, and pure visual delight. 🥋🌳🌌
9. Cape No. 7 (2008) by Wei Te-sheng
- Why It’s a Must-See: This romantic musical drama became Taiwan’s highest-grossing domestic film of all time upon its release, sparking a resurgence in the local film industry. Set in the southern Taiwanese coastal town of Kenting, it tells the story of an aspiring rock musician who reluctantly takes a postman job and is tasked with delivering a package of unsent love letters written by a Japanese teacher 60 years ago. He also joins a motley band formed to open for a Japanese pop star.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: Cape No. 7 is an incredibly feel-good, charming, and accessible film. It’s full of humor, memorable music, and heartfelt moments. It celebrates local culture, community spirit, and the power of second chances. If you want something genuinely uplifting and popular, this is it!
- Expect to Feel: Happiness, optimism, a foot-tapping urge to sing along, and a desire to visit Taiwan’s beautiful south. 🎸💌🏝️
10. You Are the Apple of My Eye (2011) by Giddens Ko
- Why It’s a Must-See: Based on the director’s own semi-autobiographical novel, this wildly popular coming-of-age romantic comedy captures the bittersweet essence of first love and youthful nostalgia. It follows Ko Ching-teng and his group of friends through their high school years, all infatuated with the brilliant and beautiful Shen Chia-yi. It perfectly encapsulates the awkwardness, joy, and heartbreak of growing up.
- Perfect for Beginners Because: You Are the Apple of My Eye is incredibly relatable and charming. Its humor, heartfelt moments, and authentic portrayal of adolescent romance resonate with audiences of all ages. It’s a fantastic entry into contemporary Taiwanese cinema that’s both entertaining and emotionally impactful.
- Expect to Feel: Nostalgia, laughter, a little bit of heartache, and a vivid reminder of your own high school days. 🍎🏫💖
Conclusion: Your Taiwanese Cinema Journey Begins!
This selection represents just a fraction of the incredible films Taiwan has to offer, but it provides a robust foundation for your exploration. From the quiet profundity of Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-Hsien to the universal appeal of Ang Lee and the heartwarming local charm of Wei Te-sheng and Giddens Ko, you’ll discover a cinema that is rich in human experience, visually poetic, and deeply affecting.
Prepare to be moved, entertained, and enlightened. Happy watching, and welcome to the captivating world of Taiwanese cinema! 🍿🍵✨ G