Hu Tai-Li is a pioneer of Ethnographic films in Taiwan. She is currently a research fellow at the Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica in Taiwan; a concurrent professor at National Chin-Hua University, and the president of Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival. After graduating from the History Department of the National Taiwan University, she entered the City University of New York, and obtained her Ph.D. degree in anthropology.

Since 1984, she has directed and produced six ethnographic films, The Return of Gods and Ancestors; Songs of Pasta’ay; Voices of Orchid Island; Passing Through My Mother-in-law’s Village; Sounds of Love and Sorrow; Stone Dream; the videos After Passing and Returning Souls, and published six books.

Her films won the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival’s “The Best Documentary Film Award”, Chicago International Film Festival’s “Silver Plaque Award,” Houston International Film Festival’s “Gold Special Jury Award,” and Taiwan International Documentary Festival Jury’s Special Mention Award. Her film, Passing Through My Mother-in-law’s Village is the first documentary film screened at the commercial theater in Taiwan with great success.

“…Hu Tai Li’s films should be mandatory viewing for anyone in Taiwan studies. Future generations of filmmakers in Taiwan will owe a great debt to her.” — Marc L. Moskowitz, American Anthropologist, 2008

• The legacy of anthropologist Hu Tai-li, Taipei Times, May 17, 2022
• DocuLens Asia
• Essay: “The Camera is Working: Paiwan Aesthetics and Performances in Taiwan” by Hu Tai Li
• References to Hu Tai Li’s films (PDF)
• Essay: “The Emergence of Small-Scale Industry in a Taiwanese Rural Community” by Hu Tai Li on Passing Through My Mother-in-law’s Village (PDF)
• Essay: “Ethnic Identity and Social Condition of Veteran-Mainlanders in Taiwan” by Hu Tai Li on Stone Dream
• Reference: Bibliography of English references to documentaries by Hu Tai-Li
• Review: Stone Dream by Murray A. Rubinstein, Visual Anthropology, 2007
• Review: Returning Souls by Ruth E. Toulson Visual Anthropology, 2012
• Review: Returning Souls by Kate Hennessy American Anthropology, 2013S
• Hu Tai-Li on IMDb