17-year-old Kerou is nothing special. Like most people her age, she doesn't quite know what she wants. But her friend Yuezhen does: she fancies Shihao, a bit of a rebel who takes his swimming training pretty seriously. Yuezhen sends Karou to scout out her chances with Shihao. Then things get a little complicated.

Blue Gate Crossing is an early Taiwanese festival treat: a sweet, lovely little film, though never quite reaching the level of cuteness of its successors in our current decade. In any case, Shihao marks the first major role played by Chen Bolin, who currently enjoys great popularity in mainland China and Hong Kong as well. Blue Gate Crossing was premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival in the Directors' Fortnight section, and it's the second queer-themed film from director Yee Chih-yen, who debuted with 1995's Lonely Hearts Club. Yee wasn't entirely pleased when the French press labelled Blue Gate Crossing a gay film, preferring to describe it more generally as a film about young people or puppy love.