2016
Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane

2016 Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane
The very first Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane, held in September 2016, marked an important step forward for Taiwanese cultural presence in Australia. Professor Chui-Liang Chiu, one of the most prominent advocates for Taiwanese heritage in Australia, praised the festival as the largest and most meaningful Taiwanese cultural event ever staged in the country.

Over one weekend at the Queensland State Library, audiences were treated to a rich and diverse program of eight acclaimed documentaries. Each film offered a unique perspective on Taiwan’s history, landscape, and cultural identity – from environmental wonders to personal stories of resilience and hope.

Highlights included "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above," which showcased Taiwan’s breathtaking scenery and environmental challenges, and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," a moving account of multicultural life and survival in post-disaster rural Taiwan. The festival also featured heartfelt stories about Indigenous language revival, the struggles of overseas fishermen, and the legacy of Taiwan’s unique wartime experiences.

Other standouts were "Song of the Reed," exploring the tragic history of young Taiwanese conscripted during WWII, and "Wansei Back Home," chronicling the lifelong connection between Japanese-born Taiwanese and their homeland. The program also included "Attitude," a documentary about revolutionary figure Shih Ming, whose life story embodies Taiwan’s ongoing pursuit of democracy and independence.

The festival concluded with a special forum, "Motivating Taiwan: Moving Forward in Australia and the Asia-Pacific Century," featuring scholars from Melbourne and Tasmania, and hosted by Professor Chiu. This event fostered dialogue and deeper understanding of Taiwan’s place in the region.

The 2016 Taiwan Film Festival in Brisbane was a true cultural feast, offering Australians and Taiwanese alike a chance to discover the beauty, depth, and complexity of Taiwan through the art of film. It set a new benchmark for cultural and academic exchange, and encouraged everyone to share the story of "Ilha Formosa" – the beautiful island.