Ever wondered what stories Taiwan has to tell through the lens of a camera? Beyond its stunning landscapes, bustling night markets, and delicious street food, Taiwan boasts a cinematic legacy that is profoundly human, visually breathtaking, and often deeply moving. Taiwanese cinema isn’t just entertainment; it’s an intimate window into the human condition, societal changes, and personal journeys that resonate universally.
If you’re ready to dive deep into a world of contemplative narratives, stunning aesthetics, and characters that will stay with you long after the credits roll, then you’ve come to the right place! We’ve scoured the depths of Taiwanese film history, from the contemplative masterpieces of the New Wave to the vibrant contemporary hits, to bring you 10 films that truly have the power to touch your soul and perhaps, even change your perspective on life. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable cinematic adventure! ๐ฌ๐ฟ
Why Taiwanese Cinema is Special (and Life-Changing!) ๐ค๐
Before we dive into the list, let’s briefly touch upon what makes Taiwanese cinema so uniquely impactful:
- Humanist Storytelling: At its core, Taiwanese film excels at portraying everyday life, relationships, and the quiet struggles and triumphs of ordinary people with immense empathy and realism.
- Patience is a Virtue: Many Taiwanese films, especially those from the New Wave, embrace a slower pace, allowing the audience to truly immerse themselves in the characters’ internal worlds and the environments they inhabit. This can be a profound, meditative experience.
- A Window to History: Many masterpieces explore Taiwan’s complex history, from martial law to rapid modernization, offering crucial insights into the nation’s identity and its people’s resilience.
- Stunning Visuals: From the masterful long takes of Hou Hsiao-Hsien to the vibrant colors of contemporary films, Taiwanese cinema is often a visual feast, turning ordinary scenes into works of art.
- Emotional Depth: Prepare for films that gently, yet powerfully, tug at your heartstrings, making you feel, reflect, and connect on a deeper level.
The Unforgettable 10: Your Gateway to Taiwanese Cinematic Brilliance โจ
Here are 10 Taiwanese films that are absolute must-watches, each offering a unique and potentially life-altering experience:
1. A Brighter Summer Day (็ฏๅถบ่กๅฐๅนดๆฎบไบบไบไปถ, Gวlวng Jiฤ Shร oniรกn Shฤrรฉn Shรฌjiร n) ๐๐
- Director: Edward Yang
- Year: 1991
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: Often hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, A Brighter Summer Day is an epic, four-hour masterpiece that plunges you into 1960s Taipei. It follows a young boy, Si’r, and his friends navigating gang rivalries, first love, and the complex socio-political landscape of post-Civil War Taiwan. Yang’s meticulous attention to detail, sprawling narrative, and profound exploration of innocence lost amidst a turbulent world is nothing short of mesmerizing. It’s a film about the search for identity, the brutality of growing up, and the echoes of history.
- Life-Changing Potential: Its sheer scale and raw honesty will make you ponder the fragility of youth and the impact of external forces on individual lives. It’s a truly immersive experience that demands your attention and rewards it tenfold.
2. Yi Yi (ไธไธ, Yฤซ Yฤซ) ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ๐ญ
- Director: Edward Yang
- Year: 2000
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: Another magnum opus from Edward Yang, Yi Yi offers a tender, profound look at the everyday lives of the Jian family in Taipei. Through the perspectives of the father (NJ), his wife (Min-Min), their daughter (Ting-Ting), and their young son (Yang-Yang), the film explores love, regret, mid-life crises, the passage of time, and the search for meaning. Yang’s genius lies in his ability to find universal truths in the mundane, showing how life’s biggest questions are often found in its quietest moments. Yang-Yang’s perspective, especially, is a pure delight, as he takes photos of the “back of people’s heads” because “you don’t see that, so I help you see that.”
- Life-Changing Potential: This film beautifully articulates the complexities of family life and the universal human desire to understand oneself and others. It will make you reflect on your own relationships and the unspoken parts of your life. Get ready for some tears, but also a profound sense of understanding.
3. A City of Sadness (ๆฒๆ ๅๅธ, Bฤiqรญng Chรฉngshรฌ) ๐ซ๏ธ๐
- Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
- Year: 1989
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (the first Taiwanese film to do so!), A City of Sadness is a hauntingly beautiful and historically significant film. It chronicles the lives of the Lin family in the years following World War II, as Taiwan transitions from Japanese colonial rule to KMT governance, leading up to the infamous “February 28 Incident” and the subsequent “White Terror” period. Hou’s signature long takes, deep focus, and naturalistic style create a deeply immersive and melancholic atmosphere. It’s a powerful statement on history, memory, and the human cost of political upheaval.
- Life-Changing Potential: This film provides a vital historical education while simultaneously telling a deeply personal family drama. It will open your eyes to a period of Taiwanese history often suppressed and encourage you to think about the long-lasting impact of political events on individual lives.
4. The Assassin (ๅบๅฎข่ถ้ฑๅจ, Cรฌkรจ Niรจ Yวnniรกng) ๐ก๏ธโฐ๏ธ
- Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
- Year: 2015
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: Prepare to be utterly mesmerized by the sheer visual poetry of The Assassin. This Wuxia film redefines the genre, prioritizing breathtaking cinematography, subtle character development, and atmospheric beauty over flashy fight sequences. Set in 9th-century China, it tells the story of Nie Yinniang, a highly trained assassin who finds herself torn between her duty and her conscience when she’s ordered to kill the man she once loved. Every frame is a painting, every sound meticulously crafted. It’s a film to be experienced, not just watched.
- Life-Changing Potential: The Assassin will challenge your perception of what cinema can be. Its deliberate pace and focus on aesthetic beauty can be a meditative experience, prompting you to appreciate the quiet power of art and the depth found in subtlety. It’s a feast for the senses and a testament to the power of visual storytelling.
5. Eat Drink Man Woman (้ฃฒ้ฃ็ทๅฅณ, Yวnshรญ Nรกnnว) ๐ฒโค๏ธ
- Director: Ang Lee
- Year: 1994
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: Before his Hollywood blockbusters, Ang Lee gave us this delightful, poignant, and mouth-watering film. Eat Drink Man Woman centers on Master Chu, a widowed chef living with his three adult daughters, each grappling with their own relationships, careers, and desires for independence. Their Sunday dinners, meticulously prepared by Chu, become a ritualistic battleground and a symbol of their complex family dynamics. It’s a charming exploration of family bonds, communication barriers, love, and the powerful role of food in culture and connection.
- Life-Changing Potential: This film is a warm hug, full of humor and heart. It will make you appreciate the simple yet profound rituals of family life and might even inspire you to cook something delicious! It reminds us that love and understanding often come in unexpected forms.
6. Rebels of the Neon God (้ๅฐๅนดๅชๅ, Qฤซngshร oniรกn Nวzhฤ) ๐๐๏ธ
- Director: Tsai Ming-liang
- Year: 1992
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: This is the debut feature from the enigmatic Tsai Ming-liang, marking the arrival of a distinctive voice in world cinema. Rebels of the Neon God captures the restless, alienated energy of youth in early 90s Taipei. It follows Hsiao-kang, a lonely cram school student, who becomes obsessed with a small-time hoodlum, Ah-tse, and his friend. Tsai’s signature style of long takes, minimal dialogue, and an almost voyeuristic observation of urban solitude and unspoken desires is already present. It’s raw, melancholic, and deeply atmospheric.
- Life-Changing Potential: This film offers a unique perspective on urban loneliness and the search for connection in a rapidly modernizing world. It might make you more observant of the silent struggles around you and appreciate the profound emotions hidden beneath ordinary facades.
7. A Sun (้ฝๅ ๆฎ็ ง, Yรกngguฤng Pวzhร o) โ๏ธ๐
- Director: Chung Mong-hong
- Year: 2019
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: A gripping and emotionally raw family drama, A Sun tells the story of a family torn apart when their youngest son is sent to juvenile detention. The film delves into themes of parental expectations, sibling rivalry, guilt, and the relentless pressure of life in contemporary Taiwan. Chung Mong-hong crafts a powerful narrative that balances moments of dark humor with profound tragedy, all while exploring the idea that life isn’t always fair, but there’s always a glimmer of “sunshine” to be found. It was Taiwan’s official submission to the Oscars.
- Life-Changing Potential: This film forces you to confront difficult questions about family loyalty, forgiveness, and the choices we make. It’s a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the often unseen sacrifices made by those we love. Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster.
8. Dear Ex (่ชฐๅ ๆไธไป็, Shรฉi Xiฤn รi Shร ng Tฤ De) ๐๐ญ
- Director: Mag Hsu & Hsu Chih-yen
- Year: 2018
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: A vibrant, emotionally resonant, and surprisingly humorous film about grief, love, and acceptance. When a seemingly conventional family man dies, his wife discovers he changed his life insurance beneficiary to his gay lover. This revelation triggers a chaotic and heartfelt battle between the wife, the lover, and their teenage son, who is caught in the middle. The film beautifully navigates themes of LGBTQ+ rights, family dynamics, and the messy reality of love beyond societal norms. It’s witty, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting.
- Life-Changing Potential: Dear Ex challenges preconceived notions about family and love, promoting empathy and understanding for different forms of relationships. It will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately, reflect on what truly matters when it comes to human connection.
9. Cape No. 7 (ๆตท่งไธ่, Hวijiวo Qฤซ Hร o) ๐ธ๐
- Director: Wei Te-sheng
- Year: 2008
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: A massive commercial success and cultural phenomenon in Taiwan, Cape No. 7 is a heartwarming, feel-good film that blends romance, comedy, music, and local charm. It tells the story of a struggling rock musician who returns to his small hometown on the southern coast of Taiwan and gets roped into forming a band to open for a Japanese pop star. Interwoven is a parallel story of a Japanese teacher’s unsent love letters to a Taiwanese girl from 60 years prior. Itโs a celebration of local identity, dreams, and finding your place.
- Life-Changing Potential: This film reminds you of the power of community, the importance of pursuing your passions, and the unexpected connections that can bridge cultures and generations. Itโs pure joy and inspiration, leaving you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
10. Our Times (ๆ็ๅฐๅฅณๆไปฃ, Wว De Shร onว Shรญdร i) ๐๐
- Director: Frankie Chen
- Year: 2015
- Why it’s a Must-Watch: If you love nostalgic high school romances, Our Times is your perfect pick! Set in the 1990s, this film follows the awkward and ordinary Lin Truly, who falls for the school’s most popular boy but ends up forming an unlikely alliance with the school’s notorious delinquent, Hsu Tai-yu. It’s a charming, funny, and deeply emotional journey through first crushes, friendships, and the bittersweet pains of growing up. It’s often compared to Korean and Japanese “first love” films but with a distinctly Taiwanese flavor.
- Life-Changing Potential: Our Times will transport you back to your own school days, making you nostalgic for simpler times and perhaps even regret not confessing your feelings to that special someone. It’s a heartwarming reminder that the most impactful relationships often start in unexpected ways and that everyone has their own unique journey of self-discovery.
How to Start Your Taiwanese Cinema Journey ๐บ๏ธ๐ฅ๏ธ
Excited to dive in? Here’s where you might find these cinematic treasures:
- Streaming Services: Check platforms like Mubi, Criterion Channel, Netflix, Viki, or Amazon Prime Video. Their libraries rotate, so keep an eye out!
- Film Festival Websites: Many international film festivals (e.g., Udine Far East Film Festival, Busan, Berlin) feature Taiwanese films, and sometimes they offer online screenings.
- Libraries & Universities: Local libraries or university film departments often have a selection of classic and contemporary world cinema.
- DVD/Blu-ray: For the cinephiles, look into distribution companies like Criterion Collection or Arrow Academy for high-quality releases of many of these masterpieces.
Final Thoughts: Embrace the Quiet Power of Taiwanese Cinema ๐น๐ผโค๏ธ
Taiwanese cinema is more than just entertainment; it’s an art form that invites you to slow down, observe, and truly feel. These films, whether epic historical dramas or intimate slice-of-life tales, resonate with a universal humanity that transcends language and culture. They celebrate resilience, question societal norms, and capture the profound beauty in the ordinary.
So, grab some bubble tea, settle in, and let these 10 incredible Taiwanese movies transport you. You might just find that one of them, in its quiet power and profound storytelling, changes the way you see the world, and perhaps, even yourself. Happy watching! ๐๐ฌ G