Tsai Ming-Liang

Tsai Ming-liang is a Malaysian-Taiwanese filmmaker renowned for his distinctive contributions to Slow Cinema, capturing urban alienation and human connection through minimalist narratives and deliberate pacing. After graduating from the Drama and Cinema Department of the Chinese Cultural University of Taiwan in 1982, Tsai Ming-liang began his distinguished career as a theatrical producer before transitioning to television, directing several telefilms from 1989 to 1991 in Hong Kong. This period notably included ‘Boys,’ marking the beginning of his enduring collaboration with actor Lee Kang-sheng. In 1992, Tsai directed his critically acclaimed first feature film, ‘Rebels of the Neon God,’ introducing his signature exploration of troubled youth and urban alienation through minimalist narratives.

Concurrently, he ventured into exhibition films with the innovative ‘Walker’ series, launched in 2012 and ongoing through 2024, which features Lee Kang-sheng as a monk in a distinctive slow-paced cinematic meditation. In 2010, Tsai was honored as Asian Filmmaker of the Year at the Busan International Film Festival, and in 2014, France recognized his profound cultural contributions by naming him an officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. His most recent feature film, ‘Days’ (2020), further showcased his distinct style and competed for the Golden Bear at the Berlinale film festival, reinforcing his ongoing status as a significant and impactful force in world cinema. Tsai Ming-liang’s body of work continues to define a unique cinematic language, exploring urban alienation and human connection with unparalleled depth and artistic vision.