May 7, 2026
The 2026 Taipei Film Festival (TFF) officially revealed its Opening and Closing films today. Kicking off the festivities is the wild, supernatural comedy Oh My Ghost! Oh My God!, featuring a star-studded international cast including Naomi Watanabe, Jasper Liu, Esther Huang, Soda Voyu, and a special appearance by Vivian Hsu. Closing the festival is the touching family drama The Grandmaster’s Gift, starring veteran actor Li Li-chun, Daniel Hong, and Yile Xia. Both films will celebrate their World Premieres at the festival, taking audiences on a journey from side-splitting laughter to profound emotional depth.
Golden Bell Award winner Soda Voyu makes his feature directorial debut with Oh My Ghost! Oh My God!, serving as writer, director, and actor. The story follows Japanese superstar "Juliet" and her manager as they travel to Taiwan to search for her roots, only to have their journey derailed by ancestral spirits and ghosts in a chaotic mountain adventure.
The film marks Japanese comedy queen Naomi Watanabe’s first appearance in a Taiwanese production. She is joined by heartthrob Jasper Liu, Golden Bell winner Esther Huang, and Sakinu, who all test their courage in this "horror-comedy." Director Soda Voyu also returns to the screen to act alongside his cast. Furthermore, multi-talented icon Vivian Hsu makes a heavy-weight surprise appearance as a mysterious key character, further heightening fan expectations.
The Closing Film, The Grandmaster’s Gift, is directed by CHEN Yi-jung. The project was previously selected for the 2023 TFF "International Pitching One-on-One Workshop" After three years of development, it returns to its roots for its World Premiere. Director Chen described TFF as a place where a project "can set off from, and eventually return to," making this premiere a precious homecoming ceremony.
The film stars veteran actor Li Li-chun and talented child actor Yile Xia in a story about an intergenerational friendship formed through chess. The plot centers on a "latchkey kid" who spends a lonely childhood in parks, where he meets a veteran soldier claiming to be a "Chess Grandmaster." Through their matches, they build a deep emotional bond.
Daniel Hong (Chun-feng), who contended for the Taipei Film Awards last year with Mongrel, takes on the role of a taxi-driver father struggling between making a living and paternal love. The film explores how "the game" transcends winning and losing, becoming a process of mutual understanding and reconciliation with life. The director and lead actors will attend the closing screening to engage with the audience.
The 28th Taipei Film Festival will take place from June 26 to July 11, 2026, at Zhongshan Hall, SPOT-Huashan Cinema, and Eslite Cinema in Taipei. The full program lineup and event details will be announced soon. The nominees for the "Taipei Film Awards" will be announced on May 15, and the "International New Directors Competition" nominees on May 12. For more information, please visit the official website: https://www.taipeiff.taipei/tw/.
