In 1998 Taipei, as old neighborhoods disappear and the last mainland veterans fade, Liu Bin runs a modest beef noodle shop. Once a Chinese chess (Xiangqi) champion who crossed the strait in 1949, he never returned home.
When Yixuan, a lonely boy raised by his single father, begins learning Xiangqi from him, an unexpected bond takes root. Across generations and different pasts, they become each other’s most important companion.
On the chessboard, a pawn that crosses the river cannot turn back. Some moves cannot be undone, and some encounters shape a lifetime.
Born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1978, Chen Yi-jung studied film directing at Université Lumière Lyon 2 in France. Her work explores family, memory and social change through intimate human relationships. Her TV film Grandma Must Die received international recognition, including at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. The Grandmaster's Gift is her feature directorial debut.
From Tokyo International Film Festival 2026, No. 39
