Developed as part of Michael Lin’s exhibition, Tea Towels and Serviettes, at La Loge, this film programme expands on an important reference in the artist’s practice: Taiwan New Cinema. The movement emerged in the 1980s during a period of significant social and political transformation in Taiwan, as martial law ended and rapid economic growth reshaped the country. As Taiwan’s cities changed over time, the ways people related to one another also evolved, and ideas of “home” began to be redefined, often in relation to urban life. Filmmakers turned their attention to this everyday life, exploring changing relationships between people, the transformation of rural and urban environments, and the emergence of a new middle class. In this context, the films presented in this programme trace a broader genealogy of image-making that connects personal and collective histories to shifting political, social, and cultural realities. In this programme, Michael Lin invites the Taiwanese collective P.M.S., long engaged with the intersecting discourses of identity, gender, and Indigeneity, to initiate a dialogue through a complementary selection of documentaries and fiction films. In response to Lin’s interest in everyday life and cultural contexts, P.M.S.’s selection brings forward realities and narratives that have coexisted since the 1980s yet have remained marginalised within cinema, moving between the grand currents of the era and the intimate scale of everyday life. P.M.S. is a Taiwanese collective composed of Posak Jodian, Manman, and Sophie Chen. The name P.M.S. combines the first syllables of their names while also referencing the English acronym for “Premenstrual Syndrome”, reflecting their critical engagement with dominant historical narratives. They also playfully reinterpret it as “Probably Meaning Something”, underscoring their openended and reflective approach to questioning established social and cultural frameworks. Since 2022, the three members have worked collectively on projects exploring the intersections of Indigenous perspectives, gender, and contemporary social issues. They have curated film programmes and screenings across Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan. Their practice frequently engages with the betel nut as both a cultural symbol and a connective thread, bringing communities together, fostering translocal solidarities among women, and opening space for alternative narratives – one chew at a time. Practical Information : 15.10–03.12.26, 19:00 All screenings take place at La Loge, except on 12.11, when a special screening will take place at Cinema Galeries, followed by a conversation with Michael Lin and P.M.S. Language: Original version with English subtitles Free participation, upon reservation info@la-loge.be
Taiwan New Cinema
Location: Rue de l'Ermitage, 86, 1050 Ixelles
