The Jerusalem Cinematheque is hosting Taiwan Film Week from 18 to 24 June 2026, a week-long programme bringing iconic Taiwanese cinema — from classic masterpieces to contemporary dramas — to Israeli audiences.
What’s screening#
The selection spans generations of Taiwanese filmmaking and themes: family and intergenerational drama, LGBTQ+ stories, and the fantasy world of wuxia (martial arts). Highlights include:
- A Touch of Zen — King Hu’s 1971 wuxia masterpiece, a landmark of the genre.
- Silent Sparks (dir. Hou Chi-jan) — a restrained, graceful drama in which three generations of a family gather when an estranged mother returns to Taiwan, old tensions and fragile truths surfacing.
- A documentary journey through Taiwan’s independent bookstores, tracing the bonds between small shops and their communities across the island.
- Left-handed Girl — the closing film, a multi-award winner and Taiwan’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards (2026).
A first for Taiwan–Israel cultural ties#
This year’s Film Week marks the first partnership between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Tel Aviv and Israeli cinematheques, and launches the “Spotlight Taiwan Project 2026”, sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture to support institutions jointly promoting Taiwanese culture in Israel.
The closing event on Wednesday, 24 June (18:00) will be held in the presence of Ms. Abby Ya-Ping Lee, Representative of Taiwan in Israel, with an opening lecture in Hebrew by Dr. Adiel Portugali on family, beliefs and customs in Taiwan.
Practical information#
- What: Taiwan Film Week — classic and contemporary Taiwanese cinema
- When: 18–24 June 2026
- Where: Jerusalem Cinematheque, 11 Hebron Road, Jerusalem
- Tickets: Cinematheque ticket prices; book per screening via the festival page
- Phone: 02-565-4333
Films are screened in their original languages with subtitles; the closing lecture is in Hebrew. Confirm individual screening times, languages and prices on the cinematheque’s site before booking.
