The Spring Outside of the Fence 竹籬笆外的春天

Film

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Feature Film

This evocative period drama from Taiwan traces the relationship between free-spirited Li Lin and introverted Ai Hua.

Information

Programme History

Part of Queer East Festival 2026

Support

With support from the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan and Taiwan Film & Audiovisual Institute (TFAI).

Director: Li Youning
Runtime: 111 Mins
Year: 1985
Country: Taiwan

Released in 1985, this evocative period drama from Taiwan traces the relationship between free-spirited Li Lin and introverted Ai Hua, who grow up together in a military dependents’ village in the 1960s. Both teenage girls fall in love with their childhood friend He Kang, who becomes a pilot working alongside American flight instructor Michael (played by iconic pop singer Fei Xiang Kris Phillips). Exploring the four characters’ intertwined fates and spanning several years of Taiwan’s history, The Spring Outside the Fence depicts a culture in flux, showing how American music, fashion, and cinema are redefining everyday life, and new relationships are taking shape amidst the lively subculture of Taipei’s GI bars. Cherie Chung and Su Ming-Ming give tremendously affecting performances as the two women with an unshakeable bond.