A raft of locally produced photographic and cinematic works will fly the flag for Taiwan at the 56th Les Rencontres d’Arles taking place from July 7 to Oct. 5 in the southern French city, according to the Ministry of Culture.
The MOC said the Taiwan section, with the theme Memory Flows: Contemporary Echoes of Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples, includes photographic works by Taipei City-based nonprofit media organization The Reporter on the recertification movements of the Thao, Rukai and Siraya peoples, as well as their efforts to preserve their cultures and reclaim land rights.
The first season of “Taiwan’s Tribal Treasure,” a documentary series that gives viewers a deeper understanding of the traditions and societal intricacies of the country’s Indigenous cultures and beliefs, is also featured at the festival. It is a joint production of the Council of Indigenous Peoples and the U.S.-based Discovery Channel.
Also playing at the festival is Laha Mebow’s “Tayal Forest Club,” a coming-of-age story set in the mountainous, densely forested Atayal homelands. The 18-minute short film won the International Jury Special Mention award at the 2025 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France.
Hu Ching-fang, director of the Taiwan Cultural Center in Paris, said this marks the first time Taiwan has presented the country’s Indigenous heritage at the annual event. She expects these productions to enhance global appreciation for Taiwan’s video and photographic arts, along with increasing international understanding of the profound issues raised in the works. (SFC-E)
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