The　gelatin　(GL)　based　film　with　high　antioxidative　and　antibacterial　activity　and　emulsifier-free　was　developed.　The　tensile　strength　(TS)　and　elongation　at　break　(EAB)　of　gelatin　films　could　be　improved　by　adding　TEMPO-oxidized　cellulose　nanofibers　(TCNFs).　When　the　content　of　epigallocatechin　gallate　(EGCG)　and　carvacrol　(CAR)　reached　20　mg　and　500　mg,　the　EAB　of　the　composite　film　was　61.25%,　which　was　much　higher　than　that　of　gelatin　film　(28.73%).　EGCG　and　CAR　could　improve　UV　barrier　performance　of　GL/TCNFs　films.　GL/TCNFs/20EGCG/500CAR　film　allowed　DPPH·　and　ABTS+　free　radical　scavenging　rates　to　reach　92.6%　and　90.6%,　and　the　diameters　of　inhibition　zones　of　E.　coli　and　S.　aureus　were　22.28　mm　and　42.58　mm,　which　showed　that　EGCG　and　CAR　had　synergistic　effects.　In　the　coating　preservation　of　sea　bass　fillets,　it　also　showed　excellent　inhibition　of　bacterial　proliferation　including　Pseudomonas　aeruginosa,　H2S-producing　bacteria　as　well　as　yeast　and　mold.　TVB-N　and　TBA　of　control　group　were　15.21　mg/100g　and　0.353　mg　MDA/kg　respectively　on　day　6,　while　lower　values　of　5.41　mg/100g　and　0.124　mg　MDA/kg　respectively　were　recorded　for　GL/TCNFs/EGCG/500CAR　group　at　the　end　of　storage.　All　these　results　indicated　that　GL/TCNFs/EGCG/CAR　film　has　potential　application　in　fish　preservation　and　is　an　environmentally　friendly　active　food　packaging　system.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd