Taiwanese youth curate first film exhibition in Helsinki, bringing island emotions to Nordic audiences.

Twenty-three-year-old Taiwanese young creator Chien Chen-en curated a film exhibition themed "Humid Tenderness" in Finland's capital, Helsinki, this month. The exhibition not only successfully secured Kino K13, a cinema under the Finnish Film Foundation, as the screening venue, but also rapidly upgraded what was originally a temporary screening space into a video platform equipped with professional facilities. In an interview, Chien stated that the core philosophy of the curation is "never assume the impossible," expressing hope that through film, Nordic audiences can experience the delicate emotions and natural atmosphere of Taiwan's island environment.

Taiwan's film industry has repeatedly achieved success at international film festivals in recent years, particularly with works themed around local landscapes and humanistic sentiments, which often touch audiences with meticulous storytelling and rich regional character. Island themes are a frequently used narrative framework for Taiwanese creators, ranging from fishing village life to shoreline changes, all containing deep explorations of nature and the human heart. The films selected for this exhibition largely focused on humid sea breezes, the light and shadow of the rainy season, and the daily lives of residents, which precisely constitute the unique narrative language produced by the intersection of Taiwan's distinct climate and culture.

Finland's film environment is renowned for its support of native creation and international cooperation. The Finnish Film Foundation has long subsidized various film festivals and screening spaces, while Kino K13 is one of its most representative independent cinemas, year-round hosting screenings for art films, documentaries, and works by emerging directors. Securing screening rights at this venue demonstrates the Finnish film and television sector's open attitude toward emerging Asian voices, and also shows that Chien possesses considerable professionalism and persuasiveness in curation and communication.

Nordic audiences are generally described as maintaining a "cleanly detached" viewing posture toward unfamiliar things, often remaining cautious and observant regarding non-Western narratives. However, through the immersive experience of film, audiences were able to feel the humidity and softness of Taiwan's island without the need for language translation. During the post-screening panel discussion, many viewers expressed that the light and shadows of the rainy season and the rhythm of life in the fishing village depicted in the films led them to rethink how "moisture" is not merely a climate, but rather a flow of emotion and a mode of interaction between humans and nature.

This transnational curation holds symbolic significance for Taiwan's cultural diplomacy. A young creator has opened up cultural pathways between Europe and Taiwan through individual action, which not only enhances the visibility of Taiwanese films on the international stage, but also lays the foundation for future cooperation between the two nations in film and television, art, and tourism. Chien's successful case may inspire more Taiwanese youth to go international, bringing local stories to a broader world stage through creativity and persistence.