KISS (2021) Virtual Screening
In the aftermath of never-ending disasters and epidemics, fewer and fewer people are still surviving.They said the apocalypse has come. K walks alone in the long-abandoned gay sauna. Human body contact has become an anecdote of the last century. The decadent and damp smell permeates, and only an old tree seems to have taken root here, stretching its withered branch, seemingly longing for something. Dir. CHOU Tung-Yen uses a sci-fi fantasy to recount the loneliness of modern people trapped in times of epidemics and isolation and depicts the longings for others’ touches and the endless search for self in a near-future scenario.
- CHOU, Tung-Yen
- 12 minutes
This film is sponsored by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture and Taiwan Academy of Houston. It's the secondary part of the in-person Spicy Sauna VR Activation preceded by IN THE MIST. KISS was created in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic, inspiring director Chou to make this experimental film influenced by the isolation of quarantining.
Chou is a director of theater and new media. His main focus is on video and theater, with occasional involvement in video art, documentary, and music video. His VR film ”In the Mist” was selected for the 78th Venice International Film Festival, and his documentary “Looking For?” was nominated by Golden Horse Awards, and screened in Seattle International Film Festival, OutFest LA and NewFest.
About Austin Asian American Film Festival
The mission of the Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) is to tell Asian and Asian American stories via media arts and help Asian Americans explore opportunities in cinema. We do this by showcasing the best in new Asian and Asian American cinema at our annual film festival, and through year-round screenings and special events. AAAFF is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.