The 10th Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival 2019
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.
Deadlines
- Submission period: February 12, 2025 – April 10, 2025
- Final notification date: August 11, 2025
- Festival dates: October 16 – 20, 2025 (in Taipei, Taiwan)
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.
Instructions for Submitting Films
- All entries must be submitted via our Film Freeway account at:
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.
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.