Ministry of Culture-Performance Venues & Architectural Heritage

The 13th edition of the Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) kicked off on May 6 at the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI). For its opening film, the festival held the world premiere screening of director Hung Chun-hsiu's (洪淳修) latest work "Remember Me(金門留念)."

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Culture Lee Ching-hwi (李靜慧), Director of the Taiwan Film Institute Dr. Wang Chun-chi (王君琦), competition juries and shortlisted directors.

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Minister Lee mentioned that she was amazed by last year's opening film "Inside the Red Brick Wall (理大圍城)," and she said it is important to have a pure heart during this turbulence stage caused by the pandemic and war. She also called on the public to support TFAI.

There are 12 sections in this edition of TIDF, a 10-day visual feast for the audience. This year, the program "Filmmaker in Focus (焦點影人)" features William Kentridge, exploring the profound insights of this important contemporary South African artist. The "Taiwan Spectrum (台灣切片)" section titled "Triviality that Speaks Volumes: Personal Cinema of Female Directors Since the 1990s (真實的呢喃：1990s以降的女性私電影)" covers the history of Taiwanese documentary with a focus on female perspectives that have been suppressed and neglected in the past.

The "Reel Taiwan: A Selected Series of The Portrait of Hundred Occupations (1986-1991)(時光台灣：1986—1991「百工圖」系列精選)" showcases the earliest "professional" documentary programs in Taiwan, which will be shown in the form of an exhibition on the first floor of TFAI during the festival.

Film screenings will run from May 6 until May 15 at various locations. In addition to screening 188 outstanding documentaries and holding 72 post-screening discussions, the festival also organized two Master Classes, two online panels, and two online talks. For more information, please visit TIDF's website.

(Photo Credit: TIDF)