Lunar New Year
31st of January to February 19th
Introduction
Lunar New Year is a cherished celebration within the Asian community, bringing together families, chosen families, friends, and loved ones to share in the festivities. To honour the Year of the Wood Snake, CinemAsia and Filmhuis Den Haag proudly join forces to present a selection of five films throughout February. From New Year classics to stories of harmonious gatherings, root-searching journeys, and transformative family reunions—dramas included—each film celebrates themes of internal transformation and growth, offering hope for peace in the coming year. These screenings aim to unite the community while introducing diverse ways of celebrating, especially for those far from home. After all, cinema is a profoundly social experience.
The series begins with Ang Lee’s beloved family comedy-drama Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), a delectable tale of a family navigating change, where each character undergoes personal growth through evolving relationships. Adding to the festive spirit, the screening will be followed by a Lunar New Year tradition: a karaoke session, hosted by Eastern Playground.
Made possible by CinemAsia Film Festival & Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute
CinemAsia Film Festival brings together stories from across Asia and its diaspora to enhance Asian visibility and empowerment in culture and media in the Netherlands. The festival aims to foster an inclusive society by enriching the public discourse on Asian culture through an intersection between Asian cinema, popular media, and community building.
Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) is the premier institution in Taiwan dedicated to preserving the nation’s audiovisual heritage. With a mission to preserve, restore, research, and promote Taiwan's audiovisual assets, TFAI ensures that these invaluable resources are accessible to the public. As a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), TFAI has a distinguished history of over 46 years, previously known as the Taiwan Film Institute (TFI).
Films in this program
Eat Drink Man Woman + Karaoke
Opening Night
On January 31st, you can watch Eat Drink Man Woman in screening room 2. Afterward, you can join karaoke in screening room 6. Be quick, as space is limited in screening room 6.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Evelyn, a weary laundromat owner, is thrust into a chaotic multiverse where she must harness countless versions of herself to save existence and find meaning amid madness.
Eat Drink Man Woman
A retired master chef and his three unmarried daughters navigate love, loss, and personal growth through weekly Sunday feasts that reveal their unspoken conflicts and evolving lives.
Het Optreden + Guián
Het Optreden is about a choir singer who struggles to conceal her transgender daughter from her church community while preparing for a solo performance at the Chinese New Year celebration. Guián follows a filmmaker who travels to her grandmother’s hometown in China, reflecting on their unspoken connection and the language barriers that kept them apart.
Kung Fu Hustle
A small-time crook in 1940s Shanghai unintentionally sparks chaos in a poor neighborhood, where residents with hidden martial arts skills must confront a notorious gang in a series of intense and humorous showdowns.