As the 2026 Academy Awards draw near, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) have collaborated to present Taiwan’s Oscar contenders—“Left-Handed Girl (左撇子女孩)”, “Side A: A Summer Day (A面：我的一天)”, and “From Island to Island (由島至島)”—at the Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) and the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles.
Notably, “Left-Handed Girl” won the AWFF Audience Award and its lead actress Nina Ye (葉子綺) received the Snow Leopard Rising Star Award, as announced on Nov. 20.
The AWFF hosted a “Focus on Taiwan” screening event on Nov. 14, with “Side A: A Summer Day” as the opening film, with director Wan Kin-fai (溫景輝) in attendance. The event was also joined by acclaimed U.S. director Sean Baker, producer and co-writer of “Left-Handed Girl.”
With “Side A: A Summer Day”, his debut short film, making its North American premiere, Wan described the experience as an “American dream come true!” Meanwhile, director Lau Kek-huat (廖克發) of “From Island to Island” also attended the screening. Despite its five-hour runtime, the documentary held the audience’s full attention and resonated strongly during the post-screening Q&A.
The Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles noted that the screenings not only showcased Taiwan’s filmmaking strengths across diverse formats but also fostered deeper support from international partners.