Overview
The Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) is Taiwan's only national administrative institution dedicated to the preservation, restoration, research, and promotion of audiovisual cultural heritage. The institute houses approximately 20,000 film titles and 400,000 artifacts across more than 10 vaults at its facility in Xinzhuang, New Taipei City. With an annual budget of NT$170 million (approximately US$5.3 million), TFAI operates under the Ministry of Culture and is chaired by Arthur Chu, with Du Li-chin serving as executive director. The institute has completed 7,071 advanced digital scans and 98 digitally restored titles as of 2024, with 69 restorations completed in partnership with external organizations and 29 completed in-house.
TFAI traces its origins to January 19, 1979, when the Film Library of the Motion Picture Development Foundation opened in Taipei. The institution evolved through several names and mandates: it became the National Film Archive in 1989, the Chinese Taipei Film Archive (CTFA) in 1991, and the Taiwan Film Institute (TFI) on July 28, 2014. The Legislative Yuan passed legislation in December 2019 upgrading the organization from an incorporated foundation to an administrative public body, and on May 19, 2020, it was formally renamed the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute. TFAI has been a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) since 1995 and joined the International Federation of Television Archives (FIAT/IFTA) in 2020.
Restoration and International Promotion
TFAI's digital restoration program has made Taiwanese classics visible at the world's top film festivals. Restored films have been selected for Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Locarno, among others. Recent and ongoing restoration projects include:
- Tsai Ming-liang's Vive L'Amour (1994) - 4K restoration, world premiered at Venice Classics 2024, attended by director Tsai and lead actor Lee Kang-sheng. The film won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1994.
- Liao Hsiang-Hsiung's Tracing To Expo '70 - 2K restoration, opened the 21st Osaka Asian Film Festival in August 2025, featuring Taiwanese Japanese superstar Judy Ongg. The restoration was timed to coincide with Expo 2025 Osaka.
- Hsu Chin-liang's The Fellow Who Rejected College (1979) - 2K restoration, premiered in Singapore in August 2025 at the request of the Singapore Film Society.
- Pai Ching-jui's Lonely Seventeen, Accidental Trio, and Good Bye! Darling - restored heritage films screened at Udine Far East Film Festival in April 2025.
- Wan Jen's Ah Fei (1984) - screened as part of a BFI season dedicated to Taiwan New Cinema in April 2025.
- Chang Mei-chun's Gorgeous - 2K restoration, international premiere at New York Asian Film Festival in July 2025.
In 2026, TFAI will mark the 70th anniversary of Taiwanese-language film with plans to restore notable works from the 1960s, including Lee Hsing's Good Neighbours, Shao Lo-hui's Love Never Ceases, and Hsu Sho-jen's Zhang Di Seeks A-Zu.
Taiwan Cinema Toolkit
TFAI operates the Taiwan Cinema Toolkit program, which subsidizes screening copyright fees and provides screening materials for non-profit overseas exhibitions of Taiwanese films. The program offers online preview services for overseas applicants and curators, provides curatorial consulting, and supplies films in various format specifications. It also supports the creation of subtitled versions in other languages for international screenings.
The toolkit integrates TFAI's archival resources, research, restorations, and museum programs as the main focus of overseas promotion. Each year, several Taiwanese films from various eras are selected to promote the diverse aspects of Taiwanese cinema to overseas audiences through a curatorial concept. The program establishes relationships with overseas organizations and builds partner networks for sustained cultural exchange.
Taiwanese Cinema and Key Filmmakers
Taiwan has one of the most distinguished film traditions in Asia. Filmmakers associated with Taiwanese cinema include:
- Hou Hsiao-hsien - A City of Sadness (Venice Golden Lion 1989), The Assassin (Cannes Best Director 2015)
- Edward Yang - Yi Yi (Cannes Best Director 2000), A Brighter Summer Day
- Tsai Ming-liang - Goodbye Dragon Inn, Stray Dogs, Vive L'Amour (Venice Golden Lion 1994)
- Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
- Wei Te-sheng - Cape No. 7, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
The Taiwan New Cinema movement of the 1980s and 1990s, which included Hou Hsiao-hsien, Edward Yang, and Wan Jen, remains central to world cinema education. TFAI's restoration work ensures these films remain accessible and properly preserved for international audiences.
Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards, the Chinese-language equivalent of the Academy Awards, are open to filmmakers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and the Chinese diaspora. The awards were historically administered by TFAI's predecessor organization, and the institute maintains close ties to the Golden Horse Film Festival ecosystem.
Notable Restored Films and Their Festival Trajectories
TFAI's restoration program has placed Taiwanese classics at major international festivals. Key examples:
- Vive L'Amour (1994, Tsai Ming-liang) - 4K restoration world premiered at Venice Classics 2024, attended by Tsai and lead actor Lee Kang-sheng. The original film won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1994. US theatrical release of the restoration handled by Film Movement (March 2022, 2K version at Metrograph New York).
- The Dull-Ice Flower (1989, Yang Li-kuo) - 2K restoration selected for Cannes Classics 2026, the only Taiwanese film officially selected at Cannes this year. Voted Taiwan's favorite narrative feature in TFAI's 2023 public poll. Written by Wu Nien-jen, adapted from Chung Chao-cheng's novel.
- Tracing to Expo '70 (1970, Liao Hsiang-Hsiung) - 2K restoration opened the 2025 Osaka Asian Film Festival, also screened at International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026. Japanese theatrical release by distributor Hark.
- The Fellow Who Rejected College (1979, Hsu Chin-liang) - 2K restoration premiered in Singapore in August 2025. Director's edition of the restoration presented at 2026 Berlinale EFM.
- Good Neighbours (Lee Hsing) - restoration presented at 2026 Berlinale EFM as part of the 70th anniversary of Taiwanese-language cinema program.
Funding and Partnership Model
TFAI operates under Taiwan's Ministry of Culture with an annual budget of NT$170 million (approximately US$5.3 million). The institute does not function as a commercial distributor or sales agent. Its international promotion operates through three channels: direct restoration and festival placement, the Taiwan Cinema Toolkit subsidy program for non-profit overseas screenings, and partnership with TAICCA (Taiwan Creative Content Agency) for industry market presence at events including the Berlinale EFM, Hong Kong Filmart, and MIPCOM.
TAICCA, a separate government agency, handles co-production financing and international industry deals. In 2025, TAICCA partnered with European production group Federation Studios to support film and series co-productions between Asia and Europe. Filmmakers seeking co-production financing should approach TAICCA rather than TFAI. TFAI's role is limited to heritage preservation, restoration, and cultural promotion.
What TFAI Supports
TFAI does not acquire or distribute new productions. Its support falls into three categories:
- Digital restoration of Taiwanese classics, prioritizing films with cultural significance, festival placement potential, and compromised source materials. The institute has completed 109 full digital restorations as of 2025, including 28 Taiyupian (Taiwanese-language) titles.
- International promotion through the Taiwan Cinema Toolkit, which subsidizes screening copyright fees and provides materials for non-profit overseas exhibitions. Overseas organizations can apply for up to 5 free screenings per year.
- Festival and market presence at heritage cinema events including the Marché International du Film Classique (MIFC) at Festival Lumiere, where Taiwan will be the featured country for the first time in 2026.
Filmmakers with projects involving Taiwanese heritage film restoration or international cultural exchange should contact TFAI through their website. Filmmakers seeking co-production financing or sales representation should contact TAICCA.
Recent and Upcoming Restoration Activity
2026 marks the 70th anniversary of Taiyupian (Taiwanese-language cinema), with more than 1,100 local films produced between the 1950s and 1970s. Only approximately 200 are known to have survived. TFAI has prioritized restoring endangered Taiyupian titles, including Lee Hsing's Good Neighbours, Shao Lo-hui's Love Never Ceases, and Hsu Sho-jen's Zhang Di Seeks A-Zu.
The 2026 Taiwan Cinema Toolkit adds three new programs: "Past and Present of Taiwan Cinema" (restored classics and contemporary hits), a Sylvia Chang special celebrating 50 years of her career, and a Lin Tuan-chiu retrospective honoring the 70th anniversary of Taiyupian with 3 works from the pioneer filmmaker.
At the 2026 Berlinale EFM, TFAI presented 8 restored titles including The Dull-Ice Flower, Good Neighbours, The Pioneers, Connection by Fate, Tracing to Expo '70, The Fellow Who Rejected College, Bliss: Beyond the Edge of Time, and A Mighty Adventure. TFAI also presented the 4K restoration of Beautiful Duckling (1965, Li Hsing).
What Filmmakers Should Know
For international filmmakers seeking Taiwanese distribution or co-production partnerships, TFAI's institutional contacts provide access to Taiwan's film funding infrastructure, the Golden Horse Film Festival, and Taiwan's network of international production and distribution relationships. The institute can connect filmmakers with Taiwanese production companies, co-production partners, and the Taiwan Cinema Toolkit for overseas screening opportunities.
For Taiwanese filmmakers, TFAI's support for international promotion includes festival submission support, market presence at major international festivals, and international sales agent relationship building. The institute's restoration laboratory, launched in July 2017, provides in-house restoration capabilities that reduce the cost and timeline for restoring Taiwanese classics.
TFAI also hosts international forums on audiovisual heritage preservation. In November 2024, the institute hosted "TFAI International Forum - Future to the Back: Archives in Motion," bringing together representatives from film archives in the United States, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. The institute's online box office, launched in December 2016, increased transparency in the Taiwanese film industry.
Filmmakers with projects involving Taiwanese co-production, heritage film restoration, or international cultural exchange should contact TFAI through their website. The institute's budget of NT$170 million is significantly larger than its predecessor's (the Chinese Taipei Film Archive operated on NT$30 to 40 million annually), reflecting the Taiwanese government's commitment to film culture as both a heritage asset and an international soft power resource.
Watch: Trailers and Restorations
See Also
For the Golden Horse Awards context, see the Golden Horse Awards entry in the Film Awards Directory. For how Asian film markets and festivals support international distribution, see Film Festival Strategy for Distributors. To model revenue from an international co-production with Taiwanese participation, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.
