2026 Golden Horse Film Festival Announces Master Class Lineup with Bong Joon-ho, Aronofsky
The 63rd Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 'Meeting the Masters' section: director Bong Joon-ho, screenwriter Kōki Mitani, director Darren Aronofsky and director Kell Baldursson are confirmed to attend masterclasses in Taipei, with six of their films screening on the big screen. The Golden Horse International Film Festival runs November 6–22, 2026, across festival theaters in Taipei, with the 63rd Golden Horse Awards ceremony set for Sunday, November 22.
Meeting the Masters: the six films
- The Host — A toxic leak from a U.S. military base spawns a creature attack on the Han River; Bong Joon-ho uses dark comedy to dissect state dysfunction. In attendance: director Bong Joon-ho.
- Mother — A mother investigates alone in a small town after her intellectually disabled son is accused of murder. South Korea's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In attendance: director Bong Joon-ho.
- University of Laughs — Set in Showa-era Japan under tightened cultural censorship, a playwright and a censorship official spar over a script. In attendance: screenwriter Kōki Mitani.
- Pi — A low-budget indie sci-fi film in which a reclusive math genius who cracks a mysterious stock-market code is hunted by two rival factions; its grainy black-and-white film stock and pulsing electronic score cemented its cult status.
- Black Swan — Nominated for five Academy Awards. Nina's psyche unravels under pressure from her controlling mother, her director and the threat of being replaced as she competes for the lead role. In attendance: director Darren Aronofsky.
- The Sheep Detectives — Adapted from a bestselling novel, this British black-comedy mystery follows a flock of sheep turned amateur detectives investigating their shepherd's mysterious death. In attendance: director Kell Baldursson.
Festival schedule
- 63rd Golden Horse Awards nominee list announced: October 1, 2026
- Golden Horse Film Academy: October 19 – November 22, 2026
- Golden Horse International Film Festival: November 6–22, 2026
- Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (pitching sessions): November 17–19, 2026
- 63rd Golden Horse Awards: Sunday, November 22, 2026 — red carpet at 17:00, ceremony at 18:30
- Venue: Golden Horse festival theaters in Taipei
- Source: Golden Horse Film Festival's official Instagram @goldenhorsefilmfestival
Section lineup
The four attending filmmakers span Korean, Japanese, American and Icelandic filmmaking traditions. Bong Joon-ho is the most represented, with two films in the section; Mitani attends as screenwriter for the University of Laughs screening, and Aronofsky's debut feature Pi appears alongside Black Swan.