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MOREFormosa, the century-old “earliest surviving film about Taiwan,” now available to the public!
This July, the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) is officially releasing “the earliest surviving film about Taiwan” to the public. Formosa, the oldest known motion picture capturing images of Taiwan that still exists and can be viewed today, is now available in full and without time restrictions on TFAI’s official YouTube channel. This invaluable piece of historical footage is estimated to have been shot in the 1920s or even earlier. The historical background of Formosa and its scale of international collaboration are beyond imagination. Alongside the release of the film, TFAI is also presenting the results of its research in a special feature in the latest Film Appreciation Journal, Issue 203: “A Century of Celluloid and Island Imagery: Formosa.” Together, the film and this research offer viewers astonishing insights and discoveries. ➤This July, TFAI is making available to the public Formosa, the century-old “earliest surviving film about Taiwan.” (Courtesy of TFAI) “Formosa,” once an alternative name for Taiwan, is derived from the Portuguese word for “beautiful” or “beautiful island.” The film’s title thus embodies this historical significance and the precious and beautiful images it contains. This short documentary , at just over seven minutes in length, captures the period Taiwan was ruled by Japan, featuring architectural landscapes, folk customs, agriculture, nature, indigenous peoples, and traces of colonialism. Through the vivid tinting in green, brown, blue, yellow, and orange, the film presents a rich and colorful visual experience, reflecting how the world perceived the “beautiful island” at the time. Formosa is now part of TFAI’s collection, and in line with the spirit of open access to cultural artifacts, the film has been made publicly available on TFAI’s official YouTube Channel. ➤“A Century of Celluloid and Island Imagery: Formosa” in Film Appreciation Journal, Issue 203, reveals the latest research findings on Formosa. (Courtesy of TFAI) In 1991, through friendly cooperation, Eye Filmmuseum in the Netherlands gifted a duplicate print of Formosa to the predecessor of TFAI — the National Film Archive, Taiwan. Yet, many mysteries remain: For what purpose was the original film made? When exactly was the master print produced? Where is the original now? In the special feature “A Century of Celluloid and Island Imagery: Formosa” released this July in the Film Appreciation Journal, Issue 203, scholars Ray JIING, LEE Daw-ming, and Uî-tiȯk Sú present their investigations and research. In addition to reconstructing landscapes past and present, they discovered that the film is linked to the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Japan, and the United States. According to LEE Daw-ming’s estimation, the film may have been shot in 1917 — making it over a hundred years old. ➤“A Century of Celluloid and Island Imagery: Formosa” in Film Appreciation Journal, Issue 203, features an exclusive Formosa film foldout. (Courtesy of TFAI) Viewing Formosa and reading the accompanying research is like looking at a slice of Taiwan’s colonial history through the cinematic lens. In this regard, TFAI CEO DU Li-chin stated: “As a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), we are pleased to see that ‘restitution’ has been formally included in the newly revised 2025 Code of Ethics for member institutions. As early as the 1990s, then-Director Ray JIING took the initiative to visit film archives around the world in search of Taiwan-related footage — a move that can be seen as the first step toward the decolonization of moving images. Today, TFAI continues to reexamine and reinterpret audiovisual history with Taiwan at its center. By making our collections publicly available, we are gradually restoring narrative agency over these images to Taiwanese society. As the national repository of audiovisual heritage, this is our unavoidable and unshirkable responsibility.” ➤Formosa is a documentary short of only seven minutes in length. (Courtesy of TFAI) ➤Formosa captures Taiwanese customs and landscapes during the Japanese colonial era. (Courtesy of TFAI) Starting this year, the institute has also officially launched a global initiative to call on film archives worldwide to repatriate early footage related to Taiwan’s indigenous peoples, especially those created before the 1960s. Looking forward, we hope to conduct more in-depth research and archival work on these precious images returned to Taiwan — much like the initial attempt presented in this latest issue of Film Appreciation Journal. TFAI has long been committed to film research and promotion. By exploring the on-screen and behind-the-scenes dimensions of our audiovisual heritage, we aim to guide the public in reconstructing historical memories through early images and raise awareness of cultural preservation. ➤Formosa presents rich and colorful images through vibrant tinted film stock. (Courtesy of TFAI) ➤ Formosa is now available in full on the official TFAI YouTube channel. (Courtesy of TFAI) ● Watch Formosa on YouTube: https://tfaitw.psee.ly/7wkgsc● “A Century of Celluloid and Island Imagery: Formosa” in Film Appreciation, Issue 203: https://tfaitw.pse.is/7wkgwt -
MOREWe TAIWAN in EXPO 2025—Ten cross-generation classic films that demonstrate “Taiwan sensibility” are about to take the audiences in Expo 2025 by storm
Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture launched a cultural program titled “We TAIWAN” which will open during Expo 2025 in Osaka in August. It will show the cross-field technology and energetic art creativity of Taiwanese culture to the world in four venues and four themes. Besides the live performances, Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) also curated a special program titled "The Glorious Past and Present of Taiwan Cinema,” in which ten Taiwanese classic films are featured. Reflecting the recent hot concept of “Taiwan sensibility” in Japan and Korea, these films show the fascinating cityscapes and cultural stories that cross generations. Internationally award-winning actress YANG Kuei-mei, the Golden Horse Award-winning director Laha Mebow and the director HOU Chi-jan will attend the events and screenings. The special program of “The Glorious Past and Present of Taiwan Cinema” will be held at Osaka City Central Public Hall from 11th to 20th of August. Echoing the theme of the Expo, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” TFAI has selected the ten most representative Taiwanese films made between the 1960s and 2020s to lead the audiences to travel from the past to the future of Taiwan cinema. In the meantime, TFAI will also present a teaser of the brand new restoration of Tracing to Expo '70 (1970) which was produced by Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC) and starring Judy ONGG set in the last Expo in Osaka in 1970. It will be shown at every screening before the features and bring us back to the Expo at the time, and the complete restored film will have its premiere in September. ➤ TFAI will present a teaser of the brand new restoration of Tracing to Expo '70 (1970) and bring us back to the Expo at the time. (Credit: TFAI) The selected documentaries include A Morning in Taipei (1964), an experimental work by director PAI Ching-jui, who was hailed as a Taiwanese national treasure, The Mountain (1966) directed by Richard Yao-chi CHEN, which captures the youth and friendships of three young people on an excursion into the mountains in Hsinchu, and The Boat-Burning Festival (1979) by the celebrated photographer CHANG Chao-tang that reveals people’s fervent belief in the local custom through his lenses. The narrative features funnily begin with The Fantasy of Deer Warrior (1961), the one and only fairy tale film with “nature settings and animal costumes” of Taiyupian (Taiwanese-language films produced between 1956 and 1981) made in the 1960s, followed by In Our Time (1982), which represents Taiwan New Cinema, the unmissable Millennium Mambo (2001) by HOU Hsiao-hsien, which won the Technical Grand Prize at Cannes Film Festival, and director CHENG Wei-hao’s Marry My Dead Body (2022), a fantasy comedy combines traditional Chinese ghost marriage and same-sex marriage. ➤ “The Glorious Past and Present of Taiwan Cinema” special program will be held at Osaka City Central Public Hall in August in which ten Taiwanese classic films are featured. Still: “The Mountain”（1966） (Credit: TFAI) ➤ A Morning in Taipei (1964), an experimental work by director PAI Ching-jui, is among other films in “The Glorious Past and Present of Taiwan Cinema.” (Credit: TFAI) Also among the narrative features, there will be the post-screening Q&A sessions of the Taiwanese-delicacy featured Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) which stars YANG Kuei-mei and was directed by Ang LEE, director Laha Mebow’s Golden Horse Award-winning Gaga (2022) that focuses on Taiwanese indigenous peoples and the inclusivity of multiethnic cultures and Poetries from the Bookstores: Somewhere I Belong (2025), the latest part of director HOU Chi-jan’s documentaries on the independent bookstores in Taiwan. YANG Kuei-mei, Laha Mebow and HOU Chi-jan will attend the events and screenings. ➤ Laha Mebow’s Golden Horse Award-winning Gaga (2022) focuses on Taiwanese indigenous peoples and the inclusivity of multiethnic cultures. (Credit: TFAI) ➤ YANG Kuei-mei starred in one of director Ang LEE’s Father Knows Best Trilogy, Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) (Credit: TFAI) Arthur CHU, the chairman of TFAI, expresses, “Through the selection and screenings, we hope that not only the world could see Taiwan and get to know Taiwan but witness the outstanding output of the Taiwanese film industry as well as the restoration work accomplished by TFAI. The preservation and restoration of the audiovisual assets is a very important part of work in cultural promotion. The last step is the audiences’ viewing and participation, and we hope that more people will fall in love with the charm of Taiwanese culture.” In total, there are 12 screenings in “The Glorious Past and Present of Taiwan Cinema,” and the events can be registered for free through We TAIWAN LINE account (ID:@we_taiwan) or by clicking on “register now” on the We TAIWAN webpage https://wetaiwan.tw/zh-TW/program/26. For more information, please go to the We TAIWAN official website at https://wetaiwan.tw/en and follow X and Instagram for the latest updates. We TAIWAN in EXPO 2025Event period: Saturday, August 2 to Wednesday, August 20Event venues: online, VS. (at GRAND GREEN OSAKA), Osaka City Central Public Hall and Nakanoshima Official website: https://wetaiwan.tw X：https://x.com/wetaiwan_tw Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/wetaiwan.tw/ LINE：https://lin.ee/GwlNGiT -
MORETFAI Strengthens Global Ties Through Recent International Exchanges
Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) has been actively elevating Taiwan's audiovisual heritage on the global stage through extensive international partnerships and collaborations. With a rich history of successful cooperation with renowned institutions and prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Venice, and Berlin, TFAI has firmly established itself as a respected leader in promoting Taiwanese classic cinema worldwide. The Institute’s growing international prestige has attracted numerous global visitors eager to explore collaborative opportunities. In June alone, TFAI hosted distinguished delegations from the Tokyo International Film Festival, the Osaka Asian Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Far East Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, the South Asian Think Tank Delegation, and Japan’s Taiwan Master Filmmakers Retrospective (台湾巨匠傑作選). These high-level exchanges underscore TFAI’s commitment to fostering meaningful dialogues in film restoration, archiving, audiovisual promotion, and research, further solidifying Taiwan’s influential presence in the international film community. On June 23rd, the Institute had the honor of welcoming Mr. ISHIZAKA Kenji, Senior Programmer of the Tokyo International Film Festival and one of the international film selectors for the 2025 Taipei Film Festival, during his visit to Taiwan. Mr. ISHIZAKA toured the Institute’s exhibitions on film restoration, which feature not only archival displays but also rare antique film equipment from the Institute’s collection and an extensive library. Mr. ISHIZAKA later met with TFAI Chairman Arthur CHU and the team to exchange views on film culture, archival practices, and regional collaborations. Both sides explored a range of promising avenues for future cooperation, signaling exciting possibilities ahead for exchanges between organizations. ➤ Mr. ISHIZAKA Kenji (second from the right), Senior Programmer of the Tokyo International Film Festival, visited TFAI and toured the Institute’s exhibition. ➤Arthur CHU, Chairman of TFAI, and Mr. ISHIZAKA Kenji posed in front of a poster for one of the Institute’s restored classic films. On June 26th, TFAI welcomed a distinguished delegation from the South Asian Think Tank at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visiting group included emerging journalists, economists, filmmakers, and policy researchers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, representing diverse perspectives within the regional cultural and media landscape. ➤The South Asian Think Tank Delegation toured the Institute’s display of vintage filmmaking equipment. ➤The South Asian Think Tank Delegation met with the TFAI team to exchange insights on Taiwan’s audiovisual industry and the Institute’s role in preservation, restoration, and international collaboration. The delegation participated in a comprehensive facility tour and engaged in discussions with TFAI Deputy Director Ying-Chih LIN and Pecha LO, Supervisor of the Promotion and Cooperation Division. These exchanges explored Taiwan's evolving audiovisual industry, TFAI's film restoration initiatives, and the Institute's commitment to expanding public access to its extensive archival collections. On June 27th, Osaka Asian Film Festival’s Programming Director TERUOKA Sozo had a thorough meeting with TFAI to discuss the upcoming co-curated “Taiwan Classic Film Programme”, which will be an official activity of the 21st Osaka Asian Film Festival in conjunction with Expo 2025 Osaka. TFAI will present multiple newly restored films to global audiences. ➤TFAI and Osaka Asian Film Festival co-curate “Taiwan Classic Film Programme” as part of the Expo 2025 Osaka special selection. As we enter the second half of 2025, TFAI continues to expand its global presence within film preservation networks. In an era of rapid change, national film archives play an increasingly vital role in preserving cultural narratives and providing grounding through the irreplaceable moving images. TFAI seeks and welcomes collaboration with film archives, audiovisual institutions, and film festivals around the world. In the coming months, TFAI will be present at major international events such as the Venice International Film Festival, the SEAPAVAA Annual Conference, Lumière Festival's Marché International du Film Classique, and, in response to the Ministry of Culture’s initiative during the Expo 2025 Osaka, present a collection of Taiwanese classic films during the event.. TFAI is committed to working with like-minded partners around the world to advance the preservation and appreciation of moving images. -
MOREDigitally restored “Gorgeous” makes world premiere at Taipei Film Festival: An audacious literary adaptation brimming with puns that defied censorship
Nothing can stop the Taiwanese playing with puns, and it is true even in a film made four decades ago. Gorgeous (1985), the only Taiwanese film among the five selected for the Classics Revisited section, just had its world premiere at the Taipei Film Festival. As in the original novel, this screen adaptation is full of wordplay. The story follows a young man from a farming village in Southern Taiwan who looks for a job in an airline company; he not only has to quickly learn to survive the new workplace, but also deal with urban folks who blindly worship the West. To him, Taipei is not a city of glamor but absurdity. ➤ Gorgeous (1985) holds its world premiere in the Classics Revisited section at Taipei Film Festival (Courtesy of TFAI) This digitally restored version of Gorgeous, shown in the Classics Revisited section at the Taipei Film Festival, was completed by the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI). Arthur CHU, the chairman of TFAI, attended the world premiere and introduced the film to the audience before the screening: “When we talk about Taiwanese cinema, especially from an international perspective, we immediately think about the 'Taiwan New Cinema' movement. Yet in 1985, alongside acclaimed directors like HOU Hsiao-hsien and KO I-cheng, there was another group of filmmakers who, while not classified under the New Cinema banner, were equally committed to creating films that spoke directly to the audiences and sought success in the box office. Director CHANG Mei-chun’s Gorgeous stands as a representative example of such efforts.” Adapted from WANG Tsen-ho’s eponymous novel, Gorgeous cleverly reflects the social atmosphere caught between the U.S.-Taiwan diplomatic break-up and a craze for all things Western. In the film, “gorgeous refers to white-collar workers in the airline company, who consider themselves superior; they have family members who are either green card holders or have immigrated to the US, representing a certain social class that worships the country. ➤ Chairman of TFAI, Arthur Chu, made a special appearance at the world premiere of Gorgeous (1985), delivering an introduction and sharing insights with the audience before the screening. (Photo Credit: Taipei Film Festival / Chen Yan-Wen) Chairman CHU also pointed out that “In adapting Gorgeous, CHANG Mei-chun incorporated elements of fantasy sequences, monologues, and non-linear structures like flashbacks. In many ways, this can be seen as an attempt to break away from the confines of traditional narrative conventions.” LIN, the protagonist from a village in Southern Taiwan, is played by the then-new rising star YANG Ching-huang. The kind, innocent, and honest young man serves as a sharp contrast to the preposterous and laughable city folks. In an attempt to remember his colleague’s names “Dorothy” and “Rocky Tung”, LIN pronounced them in Taiwanese Hokkien, which just so happen to sound like “take out the trash” and “garbage can” in the language — and that left everyone laughing and shaking their heads. You can also see LIN Jui-yang, who was hailed as the “most handsome Taiwanese actor”, and other well-known actors such as Su Chu and A-pi-po, in cameo roles. On that, Chairman CHU further noted, “Gorgeous presents an aesthetic and performance distinctively different from that of Taiwan New Cinema. It retains the heightened dramatic flair of traditional commercial films, at times taking on what one might call exaggerated, overtly expressive acting. The film offers a valuable opportunity for us to revisit how filmmakers outside the New Cinema movement approached local themes, responded to the industry’s challenges, and met expectations of their audiences.” ➤ Rising star Yang Ching-huang (left) and “the most handsome actor in Taiwan” Lin Jui-yang (right) co-star in Gorgeous (Courtesy of TFAI) ➤Gorgeous portrays a young man from a farming village in Southern Taiwan working in an airline company in Taipei (Courtesy of TFAI) TFAI is dedicated to preserving and promoting the nation’s audiovisual heritage and continues to present landmark works in the history of Taiwanese cinema. The digitally restored version of Gorgeous not only preserves the marks left by an era of censorship but also reflects the market for commercial films at the time. Originally, some lines conveyed same-sex intimacy and scenes that showed the protagonist trading his body for coins; all these were deleted as a result of censorship and commercial concerns, which disrupted the development of the plot. However, many stereotypical depictions of gender or race were left intact in the film, revealing the shifts in social values over time that are worth pondering over. The hope is that these moments will spark thoughtful conversations among audiences. ➤ In Gorgeous, Taipei is not a city of glamor but absurdity (Courtesy of TFAI) Another special screening after the world premiere is scheduled on June 27th (Fri) at the Taipei Film Festival. Meanwhile, the film is invited to have its international premiere in July at the New York Asian Film Festival as a representative of Taiwan cinema in the NYAFF Rediscoveries – Classics Rebooted section.