In this episode of Talkin TIDF, Cameron and Stefanie speak with LEE Daw-ming, an award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and one of the most influential figures in documentary filmmaking in Taiwan. After studying in the United States, he returned in the early 1980s and played a key role in shaping the field’s development.

At TIDF 2026, the Reel Taiwan section, The Late 1980s on Film, presents four of his digitally restored works. In this conversation, Professor LEE reflects on how documentary in Taiwan evolved alongside technological change and the island’s transition out of martial law.

 

🎙️In this episode:

➤ What shaped documentary filmmaking in Taiwan in the 1960s and 1970s—and which international works influenced a generation?
➤ Why did 1985 become a “scandalous” year in Taiwan’s documentary history?
➤ How was Beyond the Killing Fields: Refugees at the Thai-Cambodian Border made, and how did synch sound transform documentary practice?
➤ What is your position on ethnographic filmmaking—and how do you view the Sensory Ethnographic Lab?
➤ What was it like to revisit and restore your films for Reel Taiwan?

🔗 Links & Show Notes
TIDF 2026: Reel Taiwan｜The Late 1980s on Film
https://www.tidf.org.tw/en/films/157633
TIDF 2026: FOCUS programme｜“Sensible but Unsayable—A Retrospective of the Sensory Ethnography Lab”: https://www.tidf.org.tw/en/category/shows2026/
LEE Daw-Ming Filmography: https://docs.tfai.org.tw/en/filmmakers/1864
The Journey of Taiwan Cinema: from Taiwan New Cinema to post-New Cinema by LEE Daw-Ming (October 2018) : https://taiwaninsight.org/2018/10/31/the-journey-of-taiwan-cinema-from-taiwan-new-cinema-to-post-new-cinema/
Taiwan Today, Taiwan Review “Voice of the People” (Sept 1996): https://taiwantoday.tw/AMP/Culture/Taiwan-Review/25093/Voice-of-the-People

In this episode of Talkin TIDF, Cameron and Stefanie speak with LEE Daw-ming, an award-winning filmmaker, scholar, and one of the most influential figures in documentary filmmaking in Taiwan. After studying in the United States, he returned in the early 1980s and played a key role in shaping the field&rsquo;s development.
At TIDF 2026, the Reel Taiwan section, The Late 1980s on Film, presents four of his digitally restored works. In this conversation, Professor LEE reflects on how documentary in Taiwan evolved alongside technological change and the island&rsquo;s transition out of martial law.
&nbsp;
🎙️In this episode:
➤ What shaped documentary filmmaking in Taiwan in the 1960s and 1970s&mdash;and which international works influenced a generation? ➤ Why did 1985 become a &ldquo;scandalous&rdquo; year in Taiwan&rsquo;s documentary history? ➤ How was Beyond the Killing Fields: Refugees at the Thai-Cambodian Border made, and how did synch sound transform documentary practice? ➤ What is your position on ethnographic filmmaking&mdash;and how do you view the Sensory Ethnographic Lab? ➤ What was it like to revisit and restore your films for Reel Taiwan?
🔗 Links &amp; Show Notes
<ul>
<li>TIDF 2026: Reel Taiwan｜The Late 1980s on Film <a href="https://www.tidf.org.tw/en/films/157633">https://www.tidf.org.tw/en/films/157633</a></li>
<li>TIDF 2026: FOCUS programme｜&ldquo;Sensible but Unsayable&mdash;A Retrospective of the Sensory Ethnography Lab&rdquo;: <a href="https://www.tidf.org.tw/en/category/shows2026/">https://www.tidf.org.tw/en/category/shows2026/</a></li>
<li>LEE Daw-Ming Filmography:&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.tfai.org.tw/en/filmmakers/1864">https://docs.tfai.org.tw/en/filmmakers/1864</a></li>
<li>The Journey of Taiwan Cinema: from Taiwan New Cinema to post-New Cinema by LEE Daw-Ming (October 2018) : <a href="https://taiwaninsight.org/2018/10/31/the-journey-of-taiwan-cinema-from-taiwan-new-cinema-to-post-new-cinema/">https://taiwaninsight.org/2018/10/31/the-journey-of-taiwan-cinema-from-taiwan-new-cinema-to-post-new-cinema/</a></li>
<li>Taiwan Today, Taiwan Review &ldquo;Voice of the People&rdquo; (Sept 1996):&nbsp;<a href="https://taiwantoday.tw/AMP/Culture/Taiwan-Review/25093/Voice-of-the-People">https://taiwantoday.tw/AMP/Culture/Taiwan-Review/25093/Voice-of-the-People</a></li>
</ul>

Welcome to Talkin’ TIDF , the English-language podcast of the Taiwan International Documentary Festival.

Hosted by longtime TIDF enthusiasts Cameron and Stefanie, the series goes behind the scenes of the festival’s curatorial vision and organization, while featuring conversations with filmmakers, scholars, and industry voices from Taiwan and beyond.

From TIDF’s evolution to program highlights, Talkin’ TIDF looks at documentary filmmaking in Taiwan and beyond.

 

❐ ——— ❏ 𝟐 𝟎 𝟐 𝟔 𝐓 𝐈 𝐃 𝐅 ❏ ——— ❐
➜ 5.01-5.10
➜ TFAI｜Shin Kong Cinemas Taipei Lion｜SPOT Huashan｜Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab C-Lab

 

Welcome to Talkin&rsquo; TIDF , the English-language podcast of the Taiwan International Documentary Festival.
Hosted by longtime TIDF enthusiasts Cameron and Stefanie, the series goes behind the scenes of the festival&rsquo;s curatorial vision and organization, while featuring conversations with filmmakers, scholars, and industry voices from Taiwan and beyond.
From TIDF&rsquo;s evolution to program highlights, Talkin&rsquo; TIDF looks at documentary filmmaking in Taiwan and beyond.
&nbsp;
❐ &mdash;&mdash;&mdash; ❏ 𝟐 𝟎 𝟐 𝟔 𝐓 𝐈 𝐃 𝐅 ❏ &mdash;&mdash;&mdash; ❐ ➜ 5.01-5.10 ➜ TFAI｜Shin Kong Cinemas Taipei Lion｜SPOT Huashan｜Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab C-Lab
&nbsp;

Talking TIDF

Welcome to Talkin’ TIDF , the English-language podcast of the Taiwan International Documentary Festival.

Hosted by longtime TIDF enthusiasts Cameron and Stefanie, the series goes behind the scenes of the festival’s curatorial vision and organization, while featuring conversations with filmmakers, scholars, and industry voices from Taiwan and beyond.

From TIDF’s evolution to program highlights, Talkin’ TIDF looks at documentary filmmaking in Taiwan and beyond.

 

❐ ——— ❏ 𝟐 𝟎 𝟐 𝟔 𝐓 𝐈 𝐃 𝐅 ❏ ——— ❐

➜ 5.01-5.10

➜ TFAI｜Shin Kong Cinemas Taipei Lion｜SPOT Huashan｜Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab C-Lab

Welcome to Talkin&rsquo; TIDF , the English-language podcast of the Taiwan International Documentary Festival.
Hosted by longtime TIDF enthusiasts Cameron and Stefanie, the series goes behind the scenes of the festival&rsquo;s curatorial vision and organization, while featuring conversations with filmmakers, scholars, and industry voices from Taiwan and beyond.
From TIDF&rsquo;s evolution to program highlights, Talkin&rsquo; TIDF looks at documentary filmmaking in Taiwan and beyond.
&nbsp;
❐ &mdash;&mdash;&mdash; ❏ 𝟐 𝟎 𝟐 𝟔 𝐓 𝐈 𝐃 𝐅 ❏ &mdash;&mdash;&mdash; ❐
➜ 5.01-5.10
➜ TFAI｜Shin Kong Cinemas Taipei Lion｜SPOT Huashan｜Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab C-Lab