Timor-Leste debuted at ASEAN Film Festival with three cultural heritage short films.
Timor-Leste participated in the ASEAN Film Festival in Hong Kong for the first time, presenting three short films dedicated to the country’s intangible cultural heritage. Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, and Minister of Tourism and Environment Francisco Kalbuadi Lay attended the festival ceremony on 28 August 2026
The collection, “Intangible Cultural Heritage: Short Films from Timor-Leste”, featured three productions made in 2024: “The Rise of Genre Tebe-Tebe” by Domingos Flaviano Belo Correia Freitas; “Babadok Instrument Production” by Silvano Rodrigues Xavier; and “Traditional Knowledge of Uma Lulik and Its Cultural Sites” by Grazela Maria Albino. The films explored Tebe-Tebe, the handcrafted Babadok musical instrument, and traditions associated with Uma Lulik, Timorese sacred houses.
The productions were supported by UNESCO and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP). In his address, Vice Prime Minister Lay highlighted cinema’s role in sharing Timor-Leste’s stories, traditions and identity. “Preserving our culture is essential because it reminds us of what we have been through and the legacy our ancestors left for our identity and for future generations,” he said.
Organised by the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation, the fourth ASEAN Film Festival ran from 20 August to 27 September 2026 and featured more than 30 films from the 11 ASEAN Member States, alongside productions from other countries and territories.
Source: Government of Timor-Leste
