New Delhi, 24 October (H.S.): The Taiwan Film Festival 2026 opened on Saturday at Triveni Kala Sangam in New Delhi, offering Indian audiences an opportunity to explore Taiwan’s cinema, culture and social life through a curated selection of films.

The two-day festival, being held on October 24 and 25, features six selected Taiwanese films, including A Chip Odyssey , HERO! HITO!, Before the Bright Day and Deep Quiet Room.

Dr. Mumin Chen, Taiwan’s chief representative in India, said six films had been included in this year’s festival, with the documentary HERO! HITO! emerging as a particular highlight. The film chronicles the journey of Taiwan’s national baseball team to winning a world championship.

Highlighting the cultural significance of the sport, Chen noted that baseball holds a place in Taiwan comparable to that of cricket in India. He described sport as a universal language capable of bringing people from different countries and cultures together.

Recommending the documentary to Indian audiences, Chen said it would offer viewers a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s sporting culture and the emotions associated with the country’s sporting achievements. He also emphasised that cinema serves as an important medium for strengthening cultural dialogue and mutual understanding between India and Taiwan.

Chen further noted that the festival, which had previously been held exclusively in Delhi, had expanded to Mumbai this year, marking an important step in its growth. The organisers intend to take the event beyond the two metropolitan cities and introduce it in other parts of India next year, with the aim of developing it into a larger national cultural initiative and bringing Taiwanese cinema to a wider Indian audience.

As part of the expansion, three films from the festival’s selection are scheduled to be screened in Mumbai on October 31.

Isabelle Lin, head of the Cultural Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India, said this year’s selection explores a wide range of subjects, including documentaries, drama, coming-of-age experiences, family relationships, gender diversity, technology and sporting culture.

Through these varied narratives, the festival seeks to introduce Indian audiences to different dimensions of Taiwanese society, from its technological advancement and sporting achievements to the personal experiences and social realities of its people.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar