Honolulu: This year's Hawaiian International Film Festival (HIFF) will feature seven Taiwanese productions, highlighting themes ranging from Taiwan's night market culture to ethnic relations and geopolitical tensions. The festival, to be held October 16-26, will screen three Taiwanese feature films-"Left-handed Girl," "The Waves Will Carry Us," and "Before the Bright Day," according to the Ministry of Culture (MOC), which funded the "Spotlight on Taiwan" program. According to Focus Taiwan, "Left-handed Girl," a debut feature by director Tsou Shih-ching, is set against the backdrop of Taiwan's bustling night markets and portrays the everyday struggles of individuals navigating a patriarchal society. "The Waves Will Carry Us," directed by Taiwan-based Malaysian filmmaker Lau Kek-huat, follows a man returning to Malaysia to arrange his father's funeral and explores tensions between different religions and ethnic groups. Meanwhile, Tsao Shih-han's "Before the Bright Day" is a coming-of-age story set during the 1 996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, exploring themes of family, friendship, and love. The "Spotlight on Taiwan" program will also present four short films-"The Fishbowl Girl," which examines the body and identity; "The Mother's Voice," which addresses ethnic issues; and two Golden Horse-nominated animated shorts, "Force Times Displacement" and "Rocked by the Wind." When the HIFF announced its award nominees in late September, "Left-handed Girl" and "Before the Bright Day" were both nominated for the Kau Ka Hoku (shooting star) Award, which recognizes directors for their debut or sophomore feature-length films. In addition, "Before the Bright Day" and "The Waves Will Carry Us" were nominated for the Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) Award, while "The Fishbowl Girl" was shortlisted for Best Short Film. Chien Te-yuan, director of the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, one of the MOC's branches in the United States, described the HIFF as a launchpad for Asia-Pacific films entering the North American market. Known for its diversity, the festival this year will feature works that explore issues such as indigeneity, gender identity, democratization, and social change, reflecting the growing global appeal of Taiwanese cinema, Chien said. The HIFF award ceremony is scheduled for October 23 at the Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu.