The 2025 Taiwan Film Festival in New Delhi underscored the growing cultural and cinematic engagement between Taiwan and India, presenting a curated showcase of contemporary Taiwanese cinema. Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan in collaboration with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India, the two-day festival was held on December 12 and 13 at PVR Priya Cinema, positioning the capital as a hub for Asian cinematic exchange.
The festival served as a platform for cultural dialogue and creative collaboration, bringing together filmmakers, actors, diplomats and members of India’s creative community. Audiences were introduced to a diverse line-up reflecting Taiwan’s evolving storytelling traditions, technological strengths and social narratives.
Landmark Taiwan–India Co-Production
A major highlight of the festival was the screening of Demon Hunters, the first feature film co-produced by Taiwan and India—marking a significant milestone in bilateral film cooperation. The opening screening was attended by Prof. Mumin Chen, Representative of TECC in India; actor Arjan Bajwa; co-producers Gayathiri Guliani and Cindy Shyu Theil; actor Jayanta; and dignitaries from India’s film fraternity, cultural institutions and the diplomatic corps.
Directed by Mei-Juin Chen, Demon Hunters is a supernatural action-comedy that blends Taiwanese folklore with Indian narrative elements, including Bollywood-style musical sequences. The film follows a Taiwanese exorcist and a tech-savvy Indian exorcist-in-training who join forces to combat a supernatural threat, presenting a culturally hybrid storyline that reflects shared imagination and contemporary sensibilities.
Voices from Taiwan and India
Prof. Mumin Chen described the festival as a “window into Taiwan’s cultural soul,” highlighting Demon Hunters as a celebration of creative partnership between Taiwanese and Indian artists. He noted that cinema has the power to bridge distances and expressed hope that the festival would further strengthen Taiwan–India cultural exchange and encourage future co-productions.
Lead actor Arjan Bajwa termed the project an “extraordinary creative adventure,” noting that it allowed him to explore a world where Taiwanese mysticism meets Indian spirit and energy. He added that the collaboration was both refreshing and enriching, and that audiences in both countries would connect with the film’s humour, emotional depth and visual flair.
Diverse Festival Line-Up
Beyond the co-production, the festival featured two additional Taiwanese titles that broadened the programme’s thematic scope. A Chip Odyssey traced the rise of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Taiwan’s pivotal role in the global technology ecosystem. Meanwhile, Hunter Brothers explored themes of family, tradition and identity within Taiwan’s Indigenous communities, adding cultural depth and social perspective to the festival.
Together, the films and discussions at the 2025 Taiwan Film Festival highlighted cinema’s role as a bridge between cultures, reaffirming New Delhi’s place as an emerging centre for cross-border Asian cinematic collaboration.
