We are pleased to announce the 13th edition of the Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival (TIEFF) to be held in Taipei from 16 – 20 October 2025. Founded in 2001, TIEFF is the longest running ethnographic film festival in Asia. For nearly 25 years, we have showcased outstanding ethnographic films from Taiwan and around the world, introducing the Taiwanese public to a wide variety of anthropological topics while highlighting the contributions of film as a medium. By moving ethnography off of the page and onto the screen, the festival seeks both to attract new audiences to the discipline of anthropology as well as to push the boundaries of ethnography. In addition to the main festival in Taipei, TIEFF also sponsors a touring festival in which we bring a portion of the selected films to communities and campuses across Taiwan.

TIEFF takes a flexible stand regarding what counts as an ethnographic film. We present documentary films (and occasionally more experimental genres or ethnofictions) that portray communities in a culturally sensitive and historically contextualized way. We showcase films by both “insider” and “outsider” filmmakers, by established and new directors, journalists, educators, and artists. We seek films which are made in an ethical manner without sensationalizing their subjects. Films that are the product of long-term close collaboration between filmmaker and subject are particularly welcome. TIEFF is especially proud of its commitment to celebrating the vibrancy and resilience of Indigenous cultures and has been one of the most important venues for showcasing the work of both local and international Indigenous filmmakers. We strongly encourage filmmakers from Indigenous and other marginalized communities to submit their work to our festival.

All films submitted to the festival must have been completed between January 2023 and January 2025. While we do occasionally accept fiction films, biographies, sports documentaries, and concert films, such films will only be considered if they are accompanied by a statement regarding their suitability to the festival, especially connection to the festival theme. All festival films go through a highly selective screening process. Films on any topic will be considered, but special consideration will be given to films that match the theme (as described below). The festival does not have a competition or offer prizes or awards.

The theme for the 2025 TIEFF, “Fables of De/Industrialization” invites us to explore the material and mythic qualities of de/industrialization. Through ethnographic films that focus on the fabulous—and often uncanny—experiences of infrastructures, ruin and ruination, and displacement, we hope to trace what Rob Nixon has called the “slow violence” of socio-economic transformation. Slow violence generally operates at a scale that eludes conventional ethnographic observation. However, the more immediate and tangible aspects of industrial development and decline intimate its presence, often through allegory or a kind of resonance. How might ethnographic film examine de/industrialization in ways unafforded by written texts? How can film show the uncanny traces of historical processes? TIEFF especially seeks works that grapple with ongoing processes of loss, grounded in enduring cultural memory, or through acts of refusal. By emphasizing the notion of fables, TIEFF also welcomes ethnographic films that adopt experimental approaches, alongside films that employ close observation in local contexts.

第十三屆台灣國際民族誌影片展 (TIEFF) 將於2025年10月16至20號在台北舉行。本影展創始於2001年,是亞洲歷史最悠久的民族誌影片雙年展。25年來,我們致力推廣來自台灣本土和世界各國的民族誌影片,介紹人類學家所關注的多元議題,與其田野調查研究,呈現了影像作為媒介在民族誌實踐上如何體現文字書寫所無法達到的成果,進而突破民族誌大的界線。在影展主要活動之外,我們也積極拓展新的觀眾群,將精選影片帶往台灣各地社區於校園。

TIEFF對於「民族誌」影片採取較廣義的立場,包含一文化敏感度和歷史脈絡描繪社區或社群的紀錄片(有時兼具實驗、多模態或虛構性),我們尤其歡迎導演與被拍攝的對象長期合作的作品。無論作品是來自於「內部」或「外部」的創作者,知名或新秀導演,專業影像工作者或人類學學者、記者、教育工作者或藝術家,這些創作均必須合乎拍攝倫理而不擅加渲染。TIEFF致力於呈現原住民族文化的生命力,是台灣和世界原住民影像工作者發表作品的最重要平台之一。我們強烈鼓勵原住民影像工作者向本站投片,也非常歡迎其他邊緣出群體影片創作者加入投片的行列。

參展作品必須完成於2023至2025年間。本影展並無設置競賽獎項,題材不限,有審查委員會選片,優先考慮符合本屆影展主題的影片。若為劇情、傳記、運動、音樂或實驗藝術等類型則必須提出符合本影展主題及性質的說明,否則不予以考慮。

本屆影展主題《後/工業傳說》Fables of De/Industrialization聚焦於後/工業的過程。影展策展團希望徵求探討此過程的物質性以及神話性兩個層面的作品。FABLE 具有傳說、寓言、神話以及通話故事的意涵,以後/工業傳說為核心概念,我們希望透過民族誌影片呈現基礎建設、廢墟與流離失所的奇異—而有時讓人難以抓摸—的經驗,並追溯Rob Nixon所提出的「慢暴力」(slow violence) ,即社會經濟變遷所帶來的緩慢但巨規模的壓迫與破壞。慢暴力雖然似乎運作於一種超越傳統民族誌觀察範疇的規模,但其影響在工業發展及衰退過程的各種緊接和具體細節層面顯現,寓言或日常經驗中的共鳴即表露其存在。民族影片如何將後/工業的各種奇特、荒謬和難以言喻的經驗呈現?策展團隊特別尋求探索持多種續性流失與拒絕過程和行動,並扎根於文化記憶的作品。我們以FABLE為核心鼓勵採取實驗性民族誌方法的影片,同時也歡迎細膩地觀察在地情境的作品。

TIEFF is a non-competitive film festival, thus there are no awards or prizes offered.
本影展無競賽獎項。

QUALIFIED WORKS
1.All films submitted to the festival must have been completed between January 2023 and January 2024. TIEFF is an ethnographic film festival, as such, all films should display an “ethnographic sensibility” (see above).
2.Fiction films, experimental art films, biographies, sports documentaries, and films about musicians must be accompanied by a statement regarding their suitability for the festival.
3.Films on any topic will be considered, but special consideration will be given to films that match the festival theme (as described above).
4.Entries in any language other than either English or Chinese should be subtitled in one of those two languages.
5.The festival is open to films/videos made in all formats.
6.We do not accept open submission of films longer than 120 minutes, but will occasionally make exceptions by special arrangement.

徵片類別
1.本影展為民族誌影展,欲參展影片須呈現出民族誌的文化敏感性特質(如上述)。
2.劇情、實驗藝術、傳記、運動或音樂等影片類型,須提出符合本影展主題及性質的說明。
3.任何主題的影片皆可投片,但須符合本屆影展主題(請見上文描述)。
4.參展影片若非以中文發音者,需附上中文與英文字幕。參展影片若非以英語發音者,需附上英文字幕。
5.本影展接受各種形式影片之媒材。
6.不接受長度超過120分鐘的影片,但若有特殊考量請註記原因說明。

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING FILMS
1.All entries must be submitted via our FilmFreeway account at: https://filmfreeway.com/festival/TIEFF
TIEFF does not require entries fees to submit to the festival.
2.All entrants should complete the FilmFreeway submission form presented during the submission process.
3.All screeners should be submitted online through FilmFreeway. They can either be uploaded directly to your FilmFreeway account or linked to files hosted on Vimeo or YouTube.
4.If the screener is password protected, be sure to provide a password that is valid for at least six months from the date of submission, or until the selection process is completed (whichever comes first). It is your responsibility to notify us if any changes are made.
5.If there is a reason you are unable to submit your film via FilmFreeway which cannot be solved by their technical support, feel free to contact us via email <contact@tieff.org> for further assistance.

參展指引
1.參展影片一律採FilmFreeway 投片:https://filmfreeway.com/festival/TIEFF
免收參展徵片費用。
2.欲參展者須填寫FilmFreeway徵片網頁上的所有表單。
3.所有欲參展影片皆須直接上傳至FilmFreeway或者採用線上連結至Vimeo或Youtube。
4.若欲參展影片有密碼保護,請確認提供密碼並確保該密碼有效期限達6個月以上或至少在本影展選片期限中有效。密碼若有更動,請務必通知主辦單位。
5.若欲參展者有任何困難無法透過FilmFreeway投片,歡迎聯繫本會 (contact@tieff.org)。

RULES AND TERMS
1.TIEFF does not pay screening fees. By submitting your film via FilmFreeway you acknowledge that the festival will not pay to present your work.
2.Once a film is selected, the holder of its copyrights automatically authorizes TIEFF to promote the production on public television and on the internet in short trailers up to 4 minutes in length.
3.If your film is selected, you must provide a press kit, including production stills that the festival can use in its promotional materials, publications and on social media.
4.A copy of all films selected for the festival will be preserved in TIEFF office. (For internal, non-public, academic use only.)
5.All films are required to have English subtitles for non-English dialogue. We ask Chinese speaking directors to provide both Chinese and English subtitles for their films. TIEFF will provide Chinese subtitles for films by non-Chinese speaking directors.
6.In order to produce the subtitled version of the film for screening, we require that we receive high quality tapes (such as BETACAM SP NTSC) or digital masters that we can use to make the subtitled version of the film for screening. As this technology is constantly changing, we will discuss this with directors after their films have been selected.
7.The festival reserves the right to make any necessary changes to these rules and regulations at any time and without notice.

徵件規則
1.臺灣國際民族誌影展不會支付影展播映費用。透過FilmFreeway投片後,表示您已經確知並同意臺灣國際民族誌影展不會支付影展期間播映入選影片的費用。
2.影片一旦入選,影片版權擁有者即自動同意授權臺灣國際民族誌影展使用4分鐘為限的影片內容做為電視以及網路宣傳用途。
3.一旦您的影片入選,您必須提供包含劇照在內的相關文宣品,作為影展行銷、出版品以及社群媒體宣傳使用。入圍者應盡可能出席影展所有相關活動,影展將支付住宿與交通費用。
4.入選影片將於影展結束後典藏一份於影展辦公室,做為非公開的內部使用以及學術研究用途。
5.影片中所有非英文之對話皆須附上英文字幕,非中文製片者則由影展主辦單位提供翻譯之中文字幕。
6.中文製片者請提供兩片藍光或數位檔案,需上妥中、英文字幕。
7.臺灣國際民族誌影展保留對徵片規則與指引進行更動的權利。

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Yi Ping Cheng

    TIEFF is a great festival with great staffs and great selection of projects.

    October 2023
  • Işıl Karataş

    a great festival with great people in a great country! so happy to be part of it this year. thank you all.

    October 2023
  • Thomas Oswald

    I am very happy that my film TICS had been chosen for the 20th anniversary edition of TIEFF. Due to the Covid situation I was not able to attend in person. But communication was friendly, fast and professional. I also feel very humbled having been part of a program made up of very interesting and well-made films.

    November 2021
  • Yujiro Seki

    Thank you so much for the great communication. TIEFF has done a traffic job of bringing quality films together. We were so honored to be a part of the festival. Also, we were very pleased to show our project, Carving the Divine, to Chinese speaking audience. It would have been very difficult without the committed staff of TIEFF. In the normal time, I would really go to Taiwan and experience the festival in person. Hopefully, when the world becomes more normal, I would like to meet everyone there in person. Also, thank you so much for bringing a real live audience to the theater!

    November 2021
  • amirali mirderikvand

    Taiwan International Ethnographic film festival is a popular festival for Iranian people and it is important for Iranian filmmakers.
    So many filmmakers like to participate in this festival.
    I am very happy to be in final step of this festival 2021.
    My film was SFUMATO

    I hope to participate in your good festival by new film in future.
    Thanks to all those who hold this festival

    Best regards
    Amirali mirderikvand

    October 2021