69th BFI London Film Festival: “Left-Handed Girl” Review

Left-Handed Girl is one of those films that makes your heart ache and smile at the same time. In her stunning solo debut, Taiwanese filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou tells the story of a family who, in the face of struggle, confront painful secrets yet ultimately rediscover what matters most: their love for one another. Following a…

69th BFI London Film Festival: “High Wire” Review

Hong Kong director Calif Chong, best known for her acclaimed 2019 short Underneath, delivers something different with High Wire. High Wire speaks to something human and widely felt: the way immigration reshapes people, their hopes, their fears, and their relationships with the next generation. For many immigrant parents, the act of starting over comes with…

69th BFI London Film Festival: “Island of the Winds” Review

Hsu Ya-Ting’s Island of the Winds is a heart-rending documentary that immerses the viewer in the often-overlooked lives of the elderly residents of Lesheng Sanatorium, a former leper colony on the outskirts of Taipei. From the very first moments, the film builds an intimate closeness to its subjects, allowing their memories and struggles to surface…

69th BFI London Film Festival: “ChaO” Review

From the endlessly imaginative Japanese studio STUDIO 4°C comes ChaO, a stunning animated feature that marries slapstick comedy with sweet romance, all told through a burst of colour and hand-drawn beauty that feels almost radical in today’s digital-first era. Director Yasuhiro Aoki, making his feature debut, draws on decades of experience in character animation to…

69th BFI London Film Festival: “With Hasan in Gaza” Review

Few films feel as urgent as With Hasan in Gaza. Especially now, when Palestinian voices are so often drowned out, this documentary resurrects what has been erased: streets, faces, and laughter that once existed in Gaza before repeated cycles of war and occupation. While Palestine continues to endure military occupation and the horrors of genocide,…

Explore East Asian Cinema at LEAFF 2025: Full Film Lineup

The London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) returns this autumn to celebrate its 10th anniversary. From 23 October to 2 November 2025, the festival will once again transform the capital into a hub of cinematic celebration, bringing over 40 films from across the region to some of London’s most iconic venues. Over the past decade,…