For its 28th edition, RIDM is once again reviving a programming tradition that had been absent for several years: the Territorial Focus. This program shines a spotlight on the national cinema of a specific country or territory, with the aim of working alongside a local partner to present a wide range of voices and perspectives in documentary film, and to foster cross-cultural dialogue.

This year, the spotlight turns to Taiwan. With Beyond the Frame as our guiding theme, this Focus invites audiences to look past the surface of the image and engage with the ideas, histories, and lived realities that shape Taiwanese cinema today. Taiwan’s documentaries reveal a rich tapestry of stories, blending bold artistic experimentation and inventive artistry with a deep sense of place and culture.

This spotlight on Taiwan is presented in collaboration with the Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) and Taiwan Docs – two major initiatives by the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) to promote the art of nonfiction.  It is made possible by the generous support of the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Montreal. 

Founded in 1998, TIDF is one of Asia's most prominent, extensive, and longest-standing international documentary film festivals. Its curatorial core, Re-encounter Reality, emphasizes freedom, creativity, and transboundary thinking, encouraging reflection and experimentation in the aesthetics of documentary filmmaking. TIDF also focuses on the continuous exploration and redefinition of the documentary form, as well as the development of documentary filmmaking in Asia and the Chinese-speaking region. Taiwan Docs, often collaborating with TIDF, is committed to furthering the international reach of Taiwanese documentaries and talents through collaborations with film festivals, industry events, media, and cultural institutes.

RIDM and TIDF share the conviction that documentary is a vital art form, while RIDM and Taiwan Docs share a commitment to bringing national cinemas to light. These shared visions make the partnership a natural one that will extend beyond 2025, with a RIDM Showcase of Canadian films featured at TIDF’s 2026 edition.

The Focus Taiwan at RIDM will offer Montreal audiences a rich and varied program. We will screen five contemporary feature documentaries, each with a distinct artistic approach, tackling pressing political and social issues in Taiwan. The features will be accompanied by a program of six short experimental documentaries, highlighting the vitality and innovation of Taiwan’s avant-garde documentary scene. In addition to the films, we will present a live performance combining the screening of This Is Not a Film by Deng Nan-guang (HUANG Pang-chuan, Chunni LIN, 2023, Taiwan, 40 min, B&W) accompanied with live music by DJ Vice City.

Beyond the screenings, RIDM will foster exchanges among filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals both nationally and internationally, notably through activities in the RIDM Forum, the festival’s industry market. This Taiwan Focus aims to not only introduce Taiwanese documentary cinema to new audiences but also to create lasting connections that can inspire future collaborations.

 - Marlene Edoyan