Cannes 2026: The buzz titles from Taiwan

Dead End

Dir. Chan Chun-Hao
This neo-noir thriller inspired by true events follows a disgraced baseball player who makes a frantic attempt to free his father from an underground gambling ring, where punters wager on the deaths of the elderly. The events take place mostly over one night and the film was shot entirely on location in Mailiao, Yunlin County. Daniel Hong from hip hop group Nine One One leads the cast along with Ng Ki-Pin and Yao Yi-Ti. The film opened locally on April 24 through distributor Machi Xcelsior Studios. It is the first theatrical feature for director Chan, whose credits include TV series The Outlaw Doctor as co-director and TV movies Viatical Settlement and You Have To Kill Me.
Contact: Vincent Chen, Inject Films

The Evil Inside

Dir. Lingo Hsieh
Featuring international star Joan Chen (The Last Emperor) in her first Taiwanese film, this suspense drama follows a showbiz icon whose debt-ridden fall from grace sees her living in a sinister nursing home where patients are gambled away in a twisted game, as the abandonment of her young daughter returns to haunt her. Jason King, Zin Yang and Eugenie Liu co-star. Director Hsieh is a rare female voice in Asian genre cinema. Her works include short The Evil Inside (best picture at Taiwan’s Golden Harvest Awards), supernatural horror The Bride and Netflix series Green Door.
Contact: Vorteks

Good Death

Dir. Atsushi Funahashi
This rare Japan-Taiwan-Poland co-production is set in a near-future Taiwan where compassionate euthanasia services are offered in a serene mountain resort for international visitors. Production took place primarily in Taiwan’s Yilan County, with a cast led by Yo Yang, Elaine Jin and Chen Shu-Fang along with Poland’s Eliza Rycembel. Japanese director Funahashi is known for tackling social issues and has taken five of his films to Berlin, including Nuclear Nation (2012) and Cold Bloom (2013). Producers are Flash Forward Entertainment, Big River Films and Harine Films with the support of Taicca, the Polish Film Institute, and Japan’s VIPO and Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Contact: Flash Forward Entertainment

I Blew Out The Candles Before Making A Wish

Dirs. Chao Koi Wang, Hu Chin-Yen
This Macao-set drama recently premiered at Udine’s Far East Film Festival. Starring Kai Ko, 12-year-old newcomer Mui Cheng In and Elaine Jin, the story revolves around the unlikely alliance of a young girl who asks a Taiwanese man working in a Macao casino to gamble ‘dead chips’ on her behalf. Produced by David Tang, this marks the directing feature debut for both Macao-born Chao (whose short Chuff Chuff Chuff won a special jury prize at Taiwan’s Golden Harvest Awards) and Taiwanese writer Hu.
Contact: Chang Sanling, Rumble Pictures 

The Immortal Lives

Dir. Yao Hung-I
Produced by acclaimed cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-Bing, this horror thriller follows an orphan who grows up learning black magic from his master to help people until desires and curses intertwine, blurring the lines between good and evil. The film integrates Taiwanese Taoist culture with a cyberpunk-inspired horror style. The cast includes Bruce Chiu, Nikki Hsieh and Jason King. Money Entertainment’s recent box-office successes include Gatao: Like Father Like Son and Gatao: Big Brothers, both gangster thrillers co-directed by Yao.
Contact: Page Liao, Money Entertainment

To Be Ordinary

Dir. Lee Yun Chan
This family drama marks director Lee’s return to feature filmmaking after a 16-year hiatus. Departing from her fantastical style as seen in 2005 debut The Shoe Fairy, her latest adopts a realistic approach to explore contemporary families. The film follows the challenges of a man and his family after he is paralysed in a car accident, and is scheduled for a November theatrical release. In recent years, Lee has directed drama series such as Women In Taipei for Disney+, while also working in commercial advertising.
Contact: Alvin Chang, Goer Film

• The lowdown on all the Cannes Film Festival 2026 titles