The 11th Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) was held grandly in Culver City, Los Angeles from November 11th to 20th. This ten-day film festival brought together 73 films from over 30 Asian countries and regions, including 23 official nominations for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. The goal was to promote outstanding Asian films to the international mainstream market and to garner support from industry professionals with voting power.
AWFF Executive Director Georges N. Chamchoum praised the creativity and diversity of Asian films, stating that this year’s lineup once again showcased the strength of Asian cinema on the global stage.
In this edition of the festival, Taiwanese films particularly shined, with several works portraying the experiences of ordinary people and family stories that resonated with overseas audiences.
One of the highlighted films was “Side A: A Summer Day,” which won the Best Short Film at the Taipei Film Festival. Directed by Wen Jinghui and written by Chen Yousheng, the film was showcased on the 14th. The movie captures the humor and struggles of a “cross-cultural” family in Taiwan, with a storyline revolving around an Indian-Chinese immigrant mother helping her son with his summer homework, showcasing the warm interaction between mother and son.
Wen Jinghui expressed hope that American audiences would enjoy the film, noting that the small stories between mother and son, like the scenario of doing homework on the last day of summer vacation, might resonate with audiences from different cultures. The inspiration for the film stemmed from Wen Jinghui’s interactions with his own mother, challenging the balance between self-narrative and detachment to convey genuine emotions.
The film uniquely portrayed the language and cultural characteristics of an Indian-Chinese Taiwanese immigrant family. Actors fluently interchange between Indian, Cantonese, Hakka, and Mandarin, preserving the unique atmosphere of immigrant families and introducing audiences to the lesser-known “Indian-Chinese” community in Taiwan.
Wen Jinghui and the writer employed a collaborative writing approach, meticulously discussing and adjusting the story structure and character relationships to ensure the film’s honesty and completeness. Wen Jinghui admitted that due to limited personal connections with the Indian-Chinese identity, he could only narrate on a superficial level based on his experiences, yet ultimately delivered genuine emotions, resonating with audiences.
He also revealed that the Indian songs played in the film were sung and recorded by his father. Although the film is a story about Wen Jinghui and his mother, his father’s voice also became part of the narrative.
Representing Taiwan in the run for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards in 2026 is “Left-Handed Girl.” Director Zou Shiqing, producer and editor Sean Baker, along with two lead actors, Mason and Yezhiqui, made appearances at the festival on the 14th.
Sean Baker, who has collaborated with Zou Shiqing for over 20 years, completed the film’s editing just a day before this year’s Oscars ceremony. He emphasized that the film retained intricate details of Taiwan’s local culture, such as night market life and betel nut culture, without altering content to cater to Western audiences.
Zou Shiqing mentioned that the film was inspired by her upbringing and family memories, cherishing the moment to exchange with international filmmakers on the global stage. She specifically thanked Sean Baker for discussing and structuring the story and characters from the script stage and making crucial contributions to editing and pacing.
Through these two films, American audiences not only experience rural life and family emotions in Taiwan but also deepen their understanding of Taiwanese culture. Taiwanese cinema, with its sincere and delicate portrayal of ordinary characters, has resonated internationally, bolstering confidence in its journey towards the Oscars. ◇