Taiwan Film Festival Showcases 17 Films Across Thailand
Taiwan's 8th Documentary and Film Festival opens in Thailand this July with 17 films, including Ang Lee's acclaimed "Father Knows Best" trilogy and directorial debut from actress Shu Qi. The five-day event at venues in Bangkok and Khon Kaen
The 8th Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand 2026 has opened at House Samyan, bringing film lovers, critics, actors, filmmakers and industry figures together for five days of Taiwanese cinema. Running July 22–26, 2026, at House Samyan Century Sukhumvit in Bangkok and Pratudang Space in Khon Kaen, the festival features 17 films and documentaries spanning classics, contemporary fiction and short films.
At the opening ceremony, Pete Lan, representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand, welcomed guests and thanked audiences for their support of Taiwanese cinema. Lan noted that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and Taiwan's Ministry of Culture have worked with Thailand Documentary Club and partners for eight years to organize the festival and strengthen cultural exchange between the two nations.
This year's festival centers on the theme "family matters," marking the first time all three films in Ang Lee's acclaimed "Father Knows Best" trilogy are presented together. Lan drew parallels to a Thai saying about those without music in their hearts, suggesting viewers might reach similar conclusions about families lacking empathy, compassion, respect and love after watching the films. He emphasized that true family members must communicate through empathy, compassion, respect and love rather than pressure, coercion and threats.
The festival also features Girl (2025), the directorial debut of Taiwanese actress Shu Qi. The programme includes documentaries, classics such as Pushing Hands, The Wedding Banquet, and Eat Drink Man Woman, contemporary fiction, and short film programmes. A major highlight is Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), Ang Lee's closing chapter of the "Father Knows Best" trilogy, which earned him his second consecutive Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
