East Asian LGBTQ+ Films to Celebrate Lunar New Year: A Curated Watchlist

The Lunar New Year is a season deeply rooted in reunion—a time to sweep away the dust of the past, return home, and gather around the family table. Yet, for many, it is also a time to navigate the complex space between honoring ancient traditions and living an authentic truth. This year, celebrate the spirit of renewal with cinema that bridges that gap. From snowy Korean landscapes to the bustling streets of Taipei and New York, here is a curated list of films by East Asian directors that explore love, kinship, and the courage to start fresh.

1. Saving Face (2004) – Director: Alice Wu

• Why it fits LNY: This is the ultimate Lunar New Year comfort watch. It centers entirely on the chaotic, demanding, yet loving dynamics of a Chinese-American family.
• The Story: A closeted lesbian surgeon in New York tries to balance her career and girlfriend while her widowed mother suddenly moves in, pregnant and unmarried. It’s funny, heartwarming, and deeply relatable for anyone dealing with family expectations during the holidays.

2. The Wedding Banquet (1993) – Director: Ang Lee

• Why it fits LNY: While not strictly set during the holiday, it is perhaps the most famous film about the clash between traditional Asian parental expectations and modern queer life.
• The Story: To satisfy his nagging parents in Taiwan, a gay landlord in New York agrees to a marriage of convenience with one of his female tenants. When his parents arrive for the wedding, the ruse spirals out of control in a comedy of errors that ends with poignant acceptance.

3. Happy Together (1997) – Director: Wong Kar-wai

• Why it fits LNY: Lunar New Year is often about "starting over" and leaving the bad luck of the past year behind. This film is a melancholic but beautiful look at that attempt.
• The Story: A visually stunning masterpiece about a turbulent couple who travel from Hong Kong to Argentina to "start over." It explores the loneliness of being away from home and the difficulty of letting go of the past.

4. Small Talk (2016) – Director: Huang Hui-chen

• Why it fits LNY: This documentary is a powerful act of family reconciliation and understanding, embodying the spirit of honoring one's elders while speaking one's truth.
• The Story: In this intimate documentary, the director films her mother, a lesbian Taoist priestess in rural Taiwan. Through a series of long conversations, they bridge the gap of silence that had separated them for years, healing old wounds.

5. Suk Suk (2019) – Director: Ray Yeung

• Why it fits LNY: It honors the older generation, a key tenet of the holiday, shining a light on those often invisible in family gatherings.
• The Story: A tender drama about two closeted men in their 70s who fall in love in modern-day Hong Kong. Both men have families and children, and the film gently explores the conflict between personal happiness and the traditional duty to family lineage.

6. Spa Night (2016) – Director: Andrew Ahn

• Why it fits LNY: It explores the intense pressure of immigrant parents' dreams and the struggle to find one's own identity within a tight-knit community (Koreatown, LA).
• The Story: A young Korean-American man navigates his burgeoning sexuality while working at a Korean spa to help his struggling family. It is a quiet, atmospheric look at the intersection of cultural tradition and hidden desire.

7. Dear Ex (2018) – Directors: Mag Hsu & Hsu Chih-yen

• Why it fits LNY: Set in Taipei, this film is all about redefining what "family" means after a tragedy. It balances loud, chaotic family arguments with deep emotional healing.
• The Story: When a father dies, his teenage son and widow discover he left his insurance money to his male lover. The three of them—the angry widow, the confused son, and the free-spirited lover—are forced into each other's lives, eventually forming an unlikely bond and understanding.

8. Moonlit Winter (2019) – Director: Lim Dae-hyung

• Why it fits LNY: Set in a snowy winter, this Korean film is quiet, reflective, and hopeful. It deals with a mother and daughter repairing their relationship, a perfect theme for the start of a new year.
• The Story: A middle-aged woman in Korea receives a letter from Otaru, Japan, revealing a secret lesbian romance from her youth. She travels to the snowy Japanese town with her teenage daughter, leading to a gentle journey of memory, regret, and the courage to face one's true self.