The Ministry of Culture of Taiwan and the Economic and Cultural Office of Taipei in Spain, in collaboration with the Triángulo Foundation and the international film festival of Madrid QueerCineMad, present from June 1 to 5 the exhibition “Taiwan with Pride: Current Taiwanese Queer Cinema.”
This is a cycle that celebrates diversity, contemporary creation, and institutional commitment to LGBTIQ+ rights through cinema. This project is part of the activities of the Cultural Year of Taiwan in Europe.
As part of the celebrations for Pride 2026, this edition is integrated within Cinema Pride, an initiative that reinforces the presence of Taiwanese queer cinema in Spain and consolidates a space for meeting, reflection, and cultural access for all citizens.
The program brings together international premieres, contemporary documentaries, and a selection of recent short films that have marked the queer scene of Taiwan.
Madrid will host a program that transcends cinematic exhibition to propose an unprecedented dialogue between the new visual narratives of the island and queer literature. The cycle will feature the presence of two prominent figures traveling from Taiwan to share with the audience: Tang-Mo Tan, film critic, and writer Ta-Wei Chi. Both will participate in presentations, discussions, and public activities. Additionally, the former will give a lecture at the TAI University School of Arts titled Queer Taiwanese Literature and European Cinema, where he will analyze the influence of European cinema including works by Visconti, allusions to Greek and Russian cinema in the Taiwanese literary identity of the 90s.
The cycle will be presented in its first stage in the city of Madrid in iconic spaces such as Cineteca Matadero, Proyecto Chueco, Ateneo La Maliciosa, and TAI, bringing together a constellation of works that explore identity and memory from the sensitivity of contemporary Taiwanese queer cinema. The program includes three sessions dedicated to current Taiwanese cinema within Cinema Pride: Second Round, by Kuan Chun Chen; Blind Love, by Julian Chou, and See You, by Han Ting Yu.
In addition, a session of short films with titles such as Mrs. Catfish, The Fishbowl Girl, DAMP, Big Fairy and Somewhere in Time, essential pieces to understand contemporary Taiwanese queer lives that have been featured in festivals like QueerCineMad.
Also, the lecture Queer Taiwanese Literature and European Cinema, given by writer and professor Ta-Wei Chi, will complement the program with an essential academic and cultural perspective.
Why did queer Taiwanese literature emerge as early as the Cold War? In addition to the effort and initiative of Taiwanese writers themselves, the influence of Western culture also played an important role. At a time when Taiwanese people had limited access to travel to Western countries, European cinema became a window that allowed them to imagine the lives of sexual minorities. From the early novels of Hsien-Yung Pai to Notes of a Desolate Man, by Tien-Wen Chu, writers from different generations were inspired by the 1971 Italian film Death in Venice. Likewise, works such as Notes of a Crocodile and Testament of Montmartre, by Miao-Jin Qiu, as well as Membranes, by Ta-Wei Chi contain numerous references to Spanish, Greek, and Russian cinema, reflecting the characteristics of queer literature from the 1990s. This talk aims to analyze in depth the connection between European cinema and Taiwanese queer literature.
After its stop in Madrid, the exhibition Taiwan with Pride: Current Taiwanese Queer Cinema will travel to Cádiz in June and to San Sebastián in October.
PROGRAMMING Madrid
Taiwan with Pride: Current Taiwanese Queer Cinema
June 1 – Ateneo La Maliciosa Bookstore
17:30 / Pre-inauguration – Short film session
Presentation by Taiwanese critic Tang Mo Tan and subsequent discussion
19:00 h – Conference: Queer Taiwanese Literature and European Cinema
Given by writer Ta Wei Chi and subsequent book signing
June 2 – Cineteca Matadero (Plató Room)
20:30 h – Inauguration event
Presentation on queer cinema from Taiwan by Tang Mo Tan
Screening: Second Round VOSE. Subsequent discussion with Tang Mo Tan
June 3 — Cineteca Matadero (Plató Room)
18:00 h — Film presentation by Tang Mo Tan
Screening: Blind Love (125’) VOSE
June 4 – TAI University School of Arts
16:00 h – Talk Queer Taiwanese Literature and European Cinema
Given by Ta Wei Chi
June 4 — Cineteca Matadero (Plató Room)
20:30 h — Film presentation by Tang Mo Tan Subsequent discussion
Screening: See You (108’) VOSE
June 5 — Proyecto Chueco
19:00 h — Presentation of short films by Tang Mo Tan Subsequent discussion
Short film session VOSE
