Director: Wang Yu-lin and Essay Liu
Cast: Wang Li-Wen, Wu Tai-po, Chen Cha-Shiang, 92 mins, English Subtitles, Colour, Taiwan 2010

Of Note: No 2 local film (behind "Monga") at the Taiwanese box office

The Story:
With a mood ranging from uproariously funny - a Taiwanese Daoist priest performs solemn rites to the accelerating beat of "Hava Nagila" - to wistfully sad, Essay Liu and Wang Yu-lin's funeral comedy brings the colour and absurdity of rural Taiwan religious rituals to vivid life.

When adult daughter Mei returns to her father's village for his funeral, she encounters a tightly-knit community of family and some odd neighbours (the smoothly professional mourning weeper, the self-promoting politician). Together with her brother Da-zhi and cousin Zhuang, they work through the exhausting, but strangely comforting, seven-day long traditional funeral observance. Although the traditions look foreign, even strange to us, the feelings underlying them are universal.

As the directors say: "At one point or another, everyone faces the hardship of losing a loved one. Especially for people from central and southern Taiwan, excessive formalities associated with funereal traditions are the accepted occasional doses of drama in life. Taoist priests, professional weepers, scripture-chanting troupes... All are quintessential Taiwanese; yet they possess a certain taboo, so that most people approach them with fearful reverence. What if these aforementioned professions, items, and equipment become the main characters in drama? What if they are allowed to express and perform what and who they are, even in comedic ways, what would that be like? Simply put, Seven Days in Heaven wishes for the audience to laugh, curse, cry scenes with which they are familiar, and more importantly, in which to find their own stories."

Director: Leon Dai
Cast: Chen Wen-Pin, Chao Yo-Hsuan, Liu Chin-Ju, 92 mins, English Subtitles, Black and white, Taiwan 2009

Of Note: Taiwan's official entry into the 2009 Academy Awards for best foreign language film

The Story:
A father's love for his child is unconditional, a bond that can't be broken. But sometimes government bureaucracy can interfere. Li Wu-hisung lives in a harbor zone in Taiwan with his small daughter. He doesn't have a job, so he takes on risky tasks on boats to earn money. When he tries to do the right thing and enroll his daughter in a school, the government decides it's in the child's best interest to remove her from his care. The title of the film, which translates to I can't live without you, becomes evident once the man's daughter is taken from him. He does everything he can to get her back, leading to a desperate standoff in front of the media and the world. Shot with an amazingly controlled sense of composition, actor-turned-director Leon Dai delivers a thoughtful and well-rounded film. With strong visuals filmed in beautiful black and white, this is an emotional and satisfying film. Based on a true story, it conveys a quest of love that knows no bounds. Though it would be easy to judge the father based on his economic standing, the purity of his emotion carries the film and makes him sympathetic to even the most jaded audience member.

Director: Doze, Niu Chen-Zer
Cast: Ethan Juan, Mark Chao, Ma Ju-lung, Ko Chia-yen, 140 mins, English Subtitles, Colour, Taiwan 2010, 15

Of Note:
Screened in the 60th Berlin International Film Festival in its Panorama section
Won Best Asian Award at Hawaii International Film Festival
Made more money than Avatar in its opening week in Taiwan
China Daily voted it one of the best Chinese language films of 2010
Taiwan's official entry into the 2010 Academy Awards for best foreign language film, 2010 Berlin Film Festival

The Story:
Writer/director Doze Niu presents a Taiwanese twist on the epic gangster film. Named after the Taipei district in which it is set, MONGA depicts the troubled lives of five young street thugs coming of age in 1980s Taiwan. When the local crime boss' son Dragon (Rhydian Vaughan) and his sidekick Monk (Ethan Ruan) invite Mosquito (Mark Chao) to be a part of their Prince Gang, Mosquito discovers an irresistible world of friendship and brotherhood. However, Mosquito soon discovers that in this violent world things aren't always what they seem. When a group of mainlanders attempt to take over Monga, the fragile balance over the district's turf is threatened, friendship is tested, and loyalty is questioned.

Doze Niu both directed and co-wrote MONGA, while appearing in the film as mainland gangster Grey Wolf. MONGA also notably features star performances by several rising young Taiwanese actors including pop-star Ethan Ruan and Mark Chao. This tale of loyalty, honor, and betrayal may follow in a long line of gangster film classics, but Niu adds a unique flavor with a Taiwanese kick.

Director: Wang Leehom
Cast: Chen Han Dian, Joan Chen, Liu Yi Fei, Wang Leehom 90 mins, English Subtitles, Colour, Taiwan 2010, 12 (tbc)

Of Note:
Wang leehom's directorial debut The highest grossing film in Mainland China from a first time director You may have seen Wang Leehom in Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" and opposite Jackie Chan in "Little Big Soldier"

The Story:
A famous pop star (Wang Lee Hom) disguises himself as an average Joe to find his true love. When he finds a young student (Crystal Liu), he then struggles to find back his true identity and confront the woman he loves.

Summary:
After some high-profile roles on the big screen (Ang Lee's Lust, Caution and Jackie Chan blockbuster Little Big Soldier), Taiwan pop king Leehom Wang achieves a major breakthrough in his cinematic career with Love in Disguise. Making his movie directorial debut and co-writing the script, Leehom puts his talent in finding resonance with the audience to good use through the visual media. The superstar doesn't leave his idol charisma idle either, taking the lead role in the romantic comedy with co-stars Liu Yifei (The Forbidden Kingdom), Qiao Zhenyu (Confucius), Chen Han Tien (Monga), and "Super Girl" singer-songwriter Zeng Yike. Renowned actress Joan Chen (Lust, Caution) makes a vital supporting appearance and there are some unexpected star cameos, too.