The Malaysian director’s work through the lenses of his fans.

A beautiful introduction to the aesthetics and approach of Tsai Ming-liang (via Asian Cinema Archive):

“Slowly, I realized realism in cinema is not the same as realism in life. Cinema has its own realism. The world in cinema is not the real world. It has been crafted. That makes cinema interesting. It’s not real. It’s closer to dreams. If you treat life as a dream, you can understand this.” – Tsai Ming-liang

"Slowly, I realized realism in cinema is not the same as realism in life. Cinema has its own realism. The world in cinema is not the real world. It has been crafted. That makes cinema interesting. It's not real. It's closer to dreams. If you treat life as a dream, you can… pic.twitter.com/o8HfLday8o

— Asian Cinema Archive (@acacinema) July 27, 2025

Fandor identifies recurring motifs in the director’s work…

… and appreciates his collaborative dynamic with star Lee Kang-sheng:

Director Ari Aster (Hereditary, 2018 and Midsommar, 2019) on Tsai Ming-liang (via James Whale Bake Sale):

Further Viewing

Sabukaru goes “beyond a mere listing of plot summaries, instead offering a collection of insights akin to those you would receive from a friend” in their comprehensive guide to the director’s work: