The Evil Inside opens in Taiwan October 29: Joan Chen in a mother-daughter mystery
Lingo Hsieh’s The Evil Inside brings Joan Chen into a sinister nursing-home story. Explore its mother-daughter tension, October 29 cinema release and premiere details without major spoilers.
Can a once-celebrated singer still decide her own future when she enters another stage of life? Directed by Lingo Hsieh and starring Joan Chen, The Evil Inside places an estranged mother and daughter in a nursing-home thriller, with its Taiwan cinema release scheduled for October 29.
A premiere event took place at Taipei’s MUVIE CINEMAS Titan auditorium on October 22. Chen did not attend in person; a life-size standee represented her. Before booking, the useful starting points are the relationships, genre and release schedule rather than every twist.
Key details
The Evil Inside is directed by Lingo Hsieh and stars Joan Chen.
Taiwan cinema release: October 29, 2026. The October 22 occasion was a premiere event.
Festival information lists Taiwan, 106 minutes and an age-15-plus classification; check the actual cinema listing when booking.
A former singer enters a very different stage
Chen plays He Zhenzhen, once known in show business as Jin Fengna, whose relationship with her daughter is strained. An unusual nursing home reveals a dark trade linked to patients’ remaining lives, allowing a private family conflict and an external threat to overlap.
The unsettling premise is that the language of care can conceal control. Watch how characters discuss choice, responsibility and looking after others: the same words can carry very different power depending on who says them. The mystery can be approached through relationships as well as suspicion.
A female character indoors in The Evil Inside
An ensemble places family tension inside a thriller
The cast also includes Hsi Hsiang, Peace Yang, Eugenie Liu, Chang Han, Cheng Chih-wei and Chen Chi-hsia, with production involving Da Sheng Movie. Characters from different generations share an enclosed care setting, making family, staff and resident relationships important to follow.
A mother-daughter story need not be watched only as a path toward reconciliation. Former fame, long separation and present needs can conflict. Alongside the thriller, consider whether characters are allowed to express their wishes and how others respond, leaving room to understand them.
Plan around the release, running time and subject matter
The film combines mystery and thriller elements, with care settings and mortality at its centre. If you want a light date-night film or find these subjects uncomfortable, watch the official trailer and check classification details before deciding.
The October 29 general cinema release is separate from earlier festival screenings. A premiere date is not automatically a public ticketing opportunity. When going with friends, confirm the version, showtime and seats first, and save plot discussions for after the screening.
Black evening looks at The Evil Inside premiere event
Questions answered
When does The Evil Inside open?
Its general Taiwan cinema release is scheduled for October 29. October 22 was a premiere event; festival screenings follow a separate schedule.
Did Joan Chen attend the Taipei premiere?
She did not attend in person. A standee represented her, so event photographs with it should not be described as her physical attendance.
Who might be interested in the film?
Viewers drawn to mother-daughter relationships, enclosed-space mysteries and thrillers. Festival information lists 106 minutes; check the actual screening’s classification.
