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You're viewing the Frameline44 (2020) archive held in 2020. Explore this years festival

The Teacher

Directed by Ming Lang Chen2019Taiwan92 mins

In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian nation to legalize marriage equality. This fresh romantic drama takes us boldly into the streets and bedrooms of Taipei and into the life of one gay high school teacher as he tests the limits of this new tolerance. Kevin Chang is 26, comfortably out as gay, and when he’s not teaching high school civics, he is juggling a passionate affair with a married man and attending rallies for same-sex marriage. But when he dares to bring up gay rights in his classroom, he runs up against an administration and a culture that may not be as ready for change as he is.

With striking camerawork and remarkable candor, The Teacher powerfully depicts how the intersection of Kevin’s life, love, and career puts both his job and relationship in jeopardy. Kevin’s predicament—told with nuance as we experience the growing pressures from his family, from his lover’s wife, and from his bosses—asks us if teachers can truly leave their own lives at the classroom door.

View the panel discussion on Taiwan’s Diversity and Equality, hosted by Michelle Meow with guests from Taiwan Equals Love and The Teacher on Frameline's YouTube.

Also, a recording of the Q&A is available on Frameline's YouTube.

Quick links
Original Language Title
我的靈魂是愛做的
Director
Ming Lang Chen
Year
2019
Country
Taiwan
Running Time
92 mins
Language
Mandarin
Section
Spotlight on Taiwan, World Cinema
Program Note Writer
Rod Armstrong