From October 10 to 26, 2025, the Kaohsiung Film Festival unleashes a citywide celebration with over 100 visiting film talents, dual opening features, two high-heat closers, and venues spanning classic screens to immersive XR. Bring your calendar and stamina.
Kaohsiung, Taiwan is counting down to a film-soaked October, as the 2025 Kaohsiung Film Festival runs from October 10 to 26. Expect the kind of star wattage lifestyle fans adore: Riho Yoshioka [吉岡里帆], Koji Mizukami [水上恒司], Anthony Wong [黃秋生], plus directors Nobuhiro Yamashita [山下敦弘] and Kenichi Ugana [宇賀那健一]. Organizers say over 100 film figures will appear across the city, powering red carpets, Q&As, and close-up interactions that make festival-going feel personal.
Opening Night, Doubled for Impact
The festival fires up with dual opening films designed to capture awards buzz and mainstream appeal in one go. First is Left-Handed Girl [左撇子女孩], Taiwan’s official contender for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. It pairs with Kowloon Mass Romance [九龍大眾浪漫], led by Riho Yoshioka [吉岡里帆] and Koji Mizukami [水上恒司]. The combo neatly nets the year’s conversation pieces while dialing up on-screen chemistry for an opening night that looks equal parts prestige and pop.
Closers With Heat
Festival momentum holds through the finale with Southern Time [南方時光], starring Wu Kang-ren [吳慷仁] and Sun Shu-mei [孫淑媚], alongside Kenichi Ugana’s new work Curse On You [咒死你]. Programmed to spark Asia-premiere chatter, the closing pair aims to leave a last, loud note. Look for real conversations too: Anthony Wong [黃秋生] arrives with a new film and will speak after a classic screening, and the Kowloon Mass Romance team plans close-up fan interactions.
A Citywide Playground for Cinema
Kaohsiung spreads screenings and experiences across beloved spots including the Kaohsiung Film Archive [高雄市電影館], Neiwei Arts Center [內惟藝術中心], Main Public Library [總圖], Pier-2 [駁二], and the Museum of History [歷史博物館]. Beyond traditional theaters, an immersive XR lineup invites festivalgoers to step into stories. With venues fanned out across the harbor city, October transforms everyday streets into a living, breathing film set.
Impact
Why it matters
This edition amplifies Kaohsiung’s cultural magnetism, blending star-led premieres with hands-on audience encounters. The two-pronged opener captures awards-season attention while the XR unit points to cinema’s next chapter. Spreading events across iconic venues invites exploration, turning a film ticket into a broader city experience that fuels tourism and local creative energy.
Review
| Positives Star-packed, citywide venues | Negatives Tickets likely sell fast |
Statistics
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Festival dates | October 10 to 26, 2025 |
| Duration | 17 days |
| Opening films | Left-Handed Girl [左撇子女孩]; Kowloon Mass Romance [九龍大眾浪漫] |
| Closing films | Southern Time [南方時光]; Curse On You [咒死你] |
| Visiting talent | Over 100 film figures |
| Notable guests | Riho Yoshioka [吉岡里帆]; Koji Mizukami [水上恒司]; Anthony Wong [黃秋生]; Nobuhiro Yamashita [山下敦弘]; Kenichi Ugana [宇賀那健一] |
| Key venues | Kaohsiung Film Archive [高雄市電影館]; Neiwei Arts Center [內惟藝術中心]; Main Public Library [總圖]; Pier-2 [駁二]; Museum of History [歷史博物館] |
| Experiences | Traditional screenings, immersive XR, post-screening talks |
Zoom-out
Kaohsiung’s October blueprint reads like a lifestyle itinerary: coastal walks between venues, XR detours, and starry nights that roll straight into conversation-filled mornings. By threading prestige cinema with approachable fan moments, the festival doesn’t just screen films. It rewrites how a harbor city hosts culture, one neighborhood at a time.