1st Seattle Taiwanese Eco Film Festival: Pongso no Tao~Island of People
April 18, 2026
Celebrate the historic launch of the 1st Seattle Taiwanese Eco Film Festival (STEFF), hosted by GreenShower. For the first time, we are bringing a curated selection of award-winning Taiwanese environmental cinema to the United States. This double-feature event explores our delicate bond with nature: from the investigative journey of Birds and Us to the poignant cultural struggle on Orchid Island in Island of People (Pongso no Tao). These films unveil the hidden environmental and social challenges facing Taiwan’s ecosystems and Indigenous traditions. Join us for this landmark cultural exchange, featuring an exclusive live remote Q&A session.
SIFF year-round passes and vouchers are not valid for this event.
We stepped on Orchid Island(Lanyu) because of an ancient chant, which is the earliest sound of the Tao people recorded by Japanese scholar Kitasato Takeshi in the 1920s. The name of Orchid Island in the Tao language is “Pongso no Tao”, which means “Island of People”. It is located off the southeast coast of Taiwan, about 2 hours by boat. Orchid Island is not only geographically marginal, but also relatively weak in terms of politics, economy, educational resources, and various aspects of development. More than 40 years ago, the Taiwanese government deceived the Tao people without their consent by building a fish canning factory as a front for transporting nuclear waste to Orchid Island. Since 1982, a total of 10,008 barrels of nuclear waste have been shipped to Orchid Island. The main characters in this film, Syaman Atonen, Syapen Manhain, Sinan Manaik, Syaman Jiapakto, etc., currently run guesthouses or art shops. Faced with the increasing number of tourists on Orchid Island and the loss of cultural traditions, they have a deep understanding and profound anxiety.
We saw their lives on the island, both in the summer tourism business and in the winter farming and cultivation. We also witnessed the election process of the Orchid Island township chief and the people's efforts to revive their traditions. The Tao people are facing a difficult challenge, as they strive to maintain their modern life while also preserving their cultural roots. They are under the threat of collapse and disappearance due to the strong actions of huge commercial interests and foreign capital.
- Director: Wen-Chieh Tsao and Wan-Yu Lin
- Country: Taiwan
- Year: 2025
- Running Time: 79 min.
- Language: Mandarin w/ English Subtitles
- Has Subtitles: Yes