For its tenth anniversary, the Vancouver Taiwanese Film Festival intends to take you on a journey into the past. All the way through 50 years of movie history, in fact, with director Yang Li-chou's love leter to Taiwanese cinema, The Moment, and then forward into profound statements on the future with films such as Fly, Kite Fly, and Panay: Children of the Sun.

This year’s festival takes place at the Vancity Theatre from Friday to Sunday (June 10 to 12).

Providing both historical and contemporary views of Taiwan (Republic of China), the eight feature films represent the theme “Past Forward.”

The distinctions are evident, yet complimentary. Wansei Back Home looks at Taiwan-born Japanese people who, after spending their lives in Taiwan, were forcefully deported to Japan, losing their sense of home in the process. On the other hand, Baby Steps features the story of a gay Taiwanese man trying to have a baby through a surrogate mother. The two stories are drastically different and separated by a gulf of decades, yet both are inherently Taiwanese.

“Watching a foreign movie… is like making a journey to that country,” Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver director general Tom Lee said during a press conference copresented on Tuesday (May 31) by festival partners UBC Literature Etc. and the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society. “You get to know the culture and the ways of life.”

The festival will also feature a panel discussion including the producer of The Moment, hosted after a showing of the film on June 12.

Lee explained the Cultural Office’s involvement in the festival’s tenth anniversary as being “committed to promoting the cultural ties between Taiwan and Canada.”

The festival is aiming for a full house this year, meaning an attendance of around 2000 people over the three days. Tickets are $12 regular admission and $10 for students and concession.

Visit www.viff.org/ for more info and the full festival schedule.