Classic Chinese Novel Turned Taiwanese Film “The Story Of The Stone” Celebrated For Spotlighting Gay Culture

Promotional Image of "The Story of the Stone" / Image via Starr Wu

GagaOOLala does it again.

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The Asian LGBTQ film streaming service is trending for its inclusion of a celebrated Taiwanese gay film.

The film, titled The Story of the Stone, focuses on the gay scene and specifically the gay sex scene in the capital city of Taipei. The film is also an adaption of popular Chinese novel called Dream of the Red Chamber.

This adaption however interprets the story with a Taiwanese twist and focuses on the Red House district, which is home to 25 different gay bars, shops, and restaurants. This area includes several different establishments like Karaoke, Leather, S&M, and Bear bars. In addition, several of the bars include an outdoor terrace area where men often look on at pedestrians from above.

Along with celebrating the culture of gay men in this area, the film also takes a hard look at its downsides. From the effects to gay men’s mental states to the increase of drugs and diseases in the area.

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A still image from "The Story of the Stone" / Image via Starr Wu

“It’s an honest look at gay life in Taipei, and a way for people outside of the LGBTI community to understand that this is actually happening next door without them knowing it,” Benson Wu, organizer of the Taiwan Film Festival in Sydney, told the Star Observer.

“The film explores two characters that both have AIDS and live the same nightclub-driven life, but who make totally different life choices."

“The film speaks for many gay communities in Taiwan who feel like outsiders looking in at the ‘gay lifestyle’.”

The Story of the Stone was celebrated at multiple LGBTQ film festivals such as the Taiwan Film Festival in Sydney, the QFest Houston, and the Taiwan International Queer Film Festival.

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Now that the movie has finished it’s run, it can be viewed exclusively on GagaOOLala alongside other favorites like Sodom’s Cat.

You can check out a trailer for the film below.

h/t: Star Observer

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