[New Taipei City News] This year, the New Taipei City Documentary Film Award has partnered with the Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand to bring “New Taipei City Day” to Southeast Asia. Following the successful debut of a dedicated New Taipei City Day program at the Taiwan Film Festival of Boston last year, this year's edition featured a special screening on July 24 at Century The Movie Plaza Sukhumvit in Bangkok. Three award-winning documentaries from previous editions of the Award, Where the Sea Breeze Blows, We Live Underground, and The Sparkle in Our Lives, were screened to enthusiastic audiences, offering overseas viewers a window into New Taipei City and Taiwan through documentary films.

Directors Hsiao, Yu-Ru (We Live Underground) and Yu, Wei-Jing (The Sparkle in Our Lives) attended post-screening discussions as part of the 2026 Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand – New Taipei City Day, engaging directly with local audiences. The Department of Information of the New Taipei City Government noted that the New Taipei City Documentary Film Award, now in its 16th year, has become an important launching pad for many talented documentary filmmakers. To date, the program has supported the production of more than 150 documentaries, helping directors develop from short films to feature-length productions and bringing their works to theatrical audiences. The Award also continues to support international distribution. Following the inaugural New Taipei City Day at the Taiwan Film Festival of Boston last year, this year's expansion to Thailand reflects New Taipei City's ongoing commitment to bringing Taiwanese documentary filmmaking to the international stage.

The 2026 Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand, themed "Family Matters," runs from July 22 to 26, featuring 17 Taiwanese films across 27 screenings. The New Taipei City Day program showcased three documentaries exploring family relationships and the human experience. Directed by Chen, Shao-Chun, Where the Sea Breeze Blows begins with a decommissioned ship and explores intergenerational trauma and emotional healing. In We Live Underground, director Hsiao, Yu-Ru follows the daily lives of elderly adults living alone in a basement apartment, drawing attention to the challenges of an aging society. Hsiao expressed her hope that overseas screenings would help more people understand the realities faced by older adults living alone. Director Yu, Wei-Jing's The Sparkle in Our Lives uses the act of decluttering as a lens through which to examine intimacy and emotional distance within families. Yu also expressed her gratitude to the New Taipei City Documentary Film Award for giving the film the opportunity to reach a wider international audience.

According to the Department of Information, the expansion of New Taipei City Day from North America to Southeast Asia further strengthens ties between the New Taipei City Documentary Award and international film festivals. Looking ahead, the city plans to collaborate with more global partners and use documentary filmmaking to connect cities and cultures across borders.

During the visit, the Department's delegation also met with Documentary Club, a Thai documentary distribution platform, the Thai Film Archive, and the Thailand Film Office to exchange experience on film programming, production assistance, and international collaboration. These exchanges not only strengthen film and television cooperation between Taiwan and Thailand, but also create more opportunities for New Taipei City's audiovisual industry to engage internationally while reinforcing the city's reputation as a film-friendly city.

For more information about the New Taipei City Documentary Series, please visit the official website or search for the Facebook page "New Taipei City Documentary Film Award"