Taiwan Prison Choir's Film Breaks Records, Newsom Builds Allies

Taiwanese prison drama "Sunshine Women's Choir" has become the highest-grossing local film in Taiwan's box-office history, surpassing NT$545 million (approximately $17.3 million) on February 14, according to Variety. The film dethroned the previous record-holder, "Cape No. 7" (2008).

The film follows a baby girl born inside a women's prison. The success of "Sunshine Women's Choir" marks a significant achievement for Taiwanese cinema.

Meanwhile, the Berlin International Film Festival is set to host the international premiere of the animated film "Papaya," directed by Priscilla Kellen, as part of the Generation Kplus competition, Variety reported. The non-dialogue, family-friendly film explores themes of parenthood and environmentalism through digital cut-out animation. Best Friend Forever is handling the film internationally, and Gebeka Films will distribute it in France, with a release slated for 2026.

In other news, the Madrid Audiovisual Cluster is launching a networking event in Berlin to strengthen its international presence as a production hub for film and TV, according to Variety.

This week's news also encompasses a range of domestic and international events. According to multiple sources cited by Variety and Vox, these include criticism of US officials and vaccine trials, the ongoing Ukraine conflict, and US military operations. Additionally, Vox reported on Illinois Governor Pritzker's resistance to immigration policies.

Al Jazeera reported that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a landslide victory in a recent election, with Tarique Rahman poised to become Prime Minister. Despite a youth-led uprising in 2024 that triggered the election, the National Citizen Party (NCP), born from the movement, gained only six seats, leaving some young voters disappointed, according to the report.