【New Taipei City】 The Information Department of the New Taipei City Government announced the shortlist for the 2026 New Taipei City Documentary Award on March 31. A total of 26 teams will participate in a three-day public pitching session from April 23 to 25 at Cinema A of the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute. They will be competing for the "Selected Project" title and a NT$350,000 production grant.

According to Department Director Lee, Li-Chen, the New Taipei City Documentary Award, now in its 16th year, continues its collaboration with the Chi Po-lin Foundation to present the Chi Po-lin Environmental Documentary Award. True to its origin as a documentary-friendly city, the New Taipei City Government provides comprehensive support for creators—from funding and production to marketing—serving as the most steadfast partner for filmmakers. The 26 shortlisted teams will perform public pitches following international standards. Beyond the production grant of NT$350,000, selected teams will also receive professional production advice through mentorship workshops led by industry experts.

The Department stated that submissions for the 2026 New Taipei City Documentary Award closed in early March. Following a nearly month-long evaluation by the preliminary jury, 26 entries were ultimately selected. These projects cover diverse themes including ecological sustainability, craftsmanship, gender equality, and transnational ethnic identity, showcasing a wide array of visual perspectives and humanitarian concern.

This year’s preliminary jury includes award-winning directors and veteran documentary professionals such as Lee, Li-Shao, Qiu, Ming-Yuan, Hou, Chi-Jan, Huang, Hsiu-Yi, and Su, Che-Hsien. The jury noted that this year's shortlisted works demonstrate immense vitality in both narrative perspective and thematic depth, often rooted in identity and personal experience. As the jury pointed out, documentaries are visual creations that are “most sensitive to the era and most honest to oneself,” reflecting the profound passion Taiwanese creators have for this land.

The Department added that the public pitching session will select 12 projects for the New Taipei City Documentary Award and one for the Chi Po-lin Environmental Documentary Award. These 13 selected projects will proceed to the final selection in October, where the top three winners and the Jury’s Special Award recipient will be awarded cash prizes of NT$100,000, NT$80,000, NT$60,000, and NT$30,000 respectively. For more information, please visit the official website at http://www.doc.ntpc.gov.tw, or search “The Power of Feeling”(感動，無所不在) on Facebook.

For further information, please contact New Taipei City Information Department :

Lin, Ya-Chi (林雅智) Phone Number：2960-3456 ext. 6100

Chou, Yi-Hsuan (周宜璇) Phone Number：2960-3456 ext. 6102