Dear Taipei,
SPOT Taipei Film House has a certain way of captivating passerbyers in their tracks.
Perhaps it’s the European elegance this tall two-story mansion exudes with its classical, white structure, or that it looks so sharply out of place standing unassumingly on a street corner off the busy Zhongshan North Road.
There is without a doubt something about SPOT that allures so many people at first sight. It’s exterior is just one part of a story dating back many decades. But more on that later…
SPOT, as it stands now, is a wonderful movie theatre film fanatics would do themselves a service to visit.
Indie, art-house films reign supreme here, with a handful of titles showing on a monthly rotating basis. International titles tend to dominate, and you can expect all assortment of romance, comedy, documentary films, with something within each film which speaks to viewers on an emotional level.
The cinema itself is very intimate, seating only 88 on its bright, red chairs.
Every day, two movies screen over five or six sessions, so it’s not too hard to find a time to squeeze in a viewing in your week. At NT$260 a ticket ($240 for students), it is an affordable way to spend a leisurely couple of hours.
Want to know more about SPOT?
The core value of SPOT, according to Taiwan Film & Culture Association, is:
“A site combining the quaint charm of a historic site and cinematography and providing a locus for creative interactions”
I alluded previously to the building’s long history. Indeed, its walls speak of a history both rich and intriguing. It once served as the residence of the US ambassador from the 1950’s to the late 1970’s, and was even at one point the choice of abode for one Richard M. Nixon. As each ambassador played in pivotal role in the progression of art and culture in Taipei, the building can be seen as a “testament to the Sino-US relations, but also a landmark in the cultural development of Taipei”.
The building was then abandoned for nearly twenty years until it went under massive renovation. Its reopening in 2002 hailed a new era, the one we see today in its conception as “SPOT”- a cultural hub for cinematography.
The fact that a building exists in this city entirely dedicated to independent, international cinema is a wondrous thing in itself.
So next time you’re wanting to catch a movie, why not skip the usual Hollywood fare and head to SPOT for a movie experience with a bit of a twist.
-TTT
SPOT Taipei Film House
Where: 台北市中山區中山北路二段18號 (捷運中山站旁)
No.18, Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei
Nearest MRT: A couple of minutes from Zhongshan Exit 4
Screening hours: Changes on a daily basis, but generally 11:30-21:30 (check the schedule)
How much: General admission NT$260; Students NT$240 (with Student ID)
More info including the movie schedule: SPOT Homepage
