Biography for
Ming-liang Tsai More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

Mini Biography

Born in Kuching, Malaysia, he graduated from the Drama and Cinema Department of the Chinese Cultural University of Taiwan and worked as a theatrical producer and TV director. His second feature film, Vive L'Amour (1994), won the Golden Lion (best picture) at the 1994 Venice Film Festival. His idiosyncratic oeuvre continues to enthrall audiences worldwide.

Trade Mark

Long, fixed shots

His characters frequently have difficulty communicating their emotions with others and with themselves.

Rarely uses a traditional musical score in his films, with the exception of several 1930s Mandarin pop songs.

Very little dialogue

There are floods, leaks, and drafts of wind prominently featured in most of his work.

Prominent ambient sound

Characters who often experiment with their sexuality or their bodies

Running water or the sound of running water

Trivia

His favorite film is François Truffaut's The 400 Blows (1959), featured in What Time Is It Over There? (2001), which also features Jean-Pierre Léaud in a cameo appearance.

Met Kang-sheng Lee, his on-screen alter ego, at a video-game arcade.

In 2003, was voted by UK newspaper The Guardian as #18 of the 40 Best Directors in the World.

Retrospective at the 42nd Gijón International Film Festival, Spain. [2004]

Has never made a feature film (excluding TV films) that does not feature actor Kang-sheng Lee.

Member of the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival 1995