Photo : 2015 Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival Opening Ceremony: Mr. Chuang Heng-sheng, Director General of TECO in Vancouver (9th from left); Ms. Peggy Hua (4th left), the event coordinator; Ms. Li-mei Lee, News Division (3rd left); Ms. Grace Shu-fen Ou, Education Division Director (2nd from left); Ms. Alodie Yen, chief organizer, (1st from left); Raj Chouhan, Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (8th from left); Andrea Reimer, Deputy Mayor of Vancouver (7th from left ).

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver assisted UBC Literature Etc. the Taiwanese student club at the university host the 9th Annual Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival from June 19 to 21. Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival has become a popular annual cultural event since it was first held in 2007.

The Education Division of TECO in Vancouver has been supporting students to hold events and activities like this to promote Taiwanese culture and give Canadians a fuller understanding of Taiwan. The Taiwanese Film Festival has been very successful promoting more cultural exchanges and greater understanding between the people of Taiwan and Canada.

The theme of this year’s Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival’s was Beyond Taiwan. It reflects how the films address topics that stretch far beyond the borders of this East Asian island nation of 23 million. The festival showed 7 films: Beyond Beauty, Conspiracy, Design 7 Love, Meeting Dr. Sun, Second Chance, Sex Appeal, and The Boar King.

Mr. Chuang Heng-sheng, Director General of TECO in Vancouver spoke at the opening ceremony, and emphasized that the festival gives Vancouverites an opportunity to learn about Taiwan’s vibrant film industry, and also about Taiwan’s open and democratic society. He expressed his hopes that cultural exchanges will shorten the distance between Canada and Taiwan shorter – not only bridging cultural distances, but psychological and spiritual differences as well.