Where Is My Love? + Incidental Journey

Filmmaker Jo-fei Chen began making films in the 1990s – the decade when Taiwan’s queer cinema began to flourish – but was still dominated by men. Where is My Love? and Incidental Journey are both groundbreaking works that take a close look at the lives of contemporary gay and lesbian communities in Taiwan.

Where Is My Love? (1996, 56mins)

Taipei in the 1990s: Ko is a young gay writer who has written a story about his sexuality, and is encouraged by his mentor to enter it into a prestigious writing competition. But that would mean publicly revealing his homosexuality, so Ko must decide whether or not to remain in the closet. Meanwhile, Ko’s working habits are disturbed by the presence of a man whom he picked up for sex. Chen’s acclaimed film from 1996 artfully evokes the furtive queer lifestyles of the time – the cruising in parks and the anonymous encounters – while subtly capturing the rhythm of the writing process and the textures of everyday life. Ultimately, this is a film about profound loneliness, the yearning for love in a culture that is not quite ready to accept it.

Incidental Journey (2001, 61mins)

After breaking up with her girlfriend, student Ching goes on a road trip around Taiwan. On the island’s east coast, she encounters hitchhiker Hsiang, an older, solitary artist. Hsiang takes Ching to visit her friend Ji, who lives on a peaceful rural farm with her husband. Here, Ching struggles to find inner peace, while Hsiang confronts long-repressed yearnings. A meditative reflection on female desire that features accomplished performances, Incidental Journey made its mark in Taiwan’s film history, offering a daring and frank portrayal of lesbian love on screen. Using the pastoral, mountainous locations to powerful effect, director Jo-Fei Chen conjures up an idyllic, utopian environment: a place where the women, far removed from the messy complexities of urban life, have the time and space to contemplate their pasts.

Showing in partnership with Queer East – a cross-disciplinary festival that showcases boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ cinema, live arts, and moving image work from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities.