In the Taiwanese tradition, women have the unique power to return to the living as ghosts and punish us for our transgressions. While this sounds like the making of a horror film, German indie maven Monika Treut (The Virgin Machine Frameline9; Gendernauts, Frameline23) instead presents the situation in more delicate terms; treating the weight of mortality with the same intensity as the weight of romantic betrayal. This German/ Taiwanese co-production features Treut’s recent interest in Taiwanese culture, and her now-trademark exploration of gender and cultural identities.

Hoping to seek out her biological father, the statuesque and genteel Ai-Ling convinces her mother to let her visit her uncle in Germany, where she falls for video-artist Sophie, a self-possessed professional. But, overcome by the artistic energy inspired by Ai-Ling, Sophie grows increasingly absorbed by her work and neglectful of her lover.

Five months later, Ai-Ling has suddenly and mysteriously died, and Sophie’s video projects have reached Tai-Pei, where a pushy but beautiful journalist, Mei-li, convinces Sophie to tell her story.Infiltrating Sophie’s life, the journalist discovers the lesbian drama, and Sophie slowly falls for this replacement for her lost muse.

As much a romance of cultures as an affair between women and memories, Ghosted is a sensual mindgame that asks questions in the sultriest way possible. Jetting between Taiwan and Germany, this movie may actually make you feel the changing atmospheres.