Vive L'Amour

Directed by Tsai Ming-liang

1994 / 118 min / Mandarin / Drama / English Subtitles

Synopsis

The sophomore feature from Tsai Ming-liang (REBELS OF THE NEON GOD; GOODBYE, DRAGON INN) finds the acclaimed master of Taiwan’s Second New Wave demonstrating a confident new cinematic voice. VIVE L’AMOUR follows three characters unknowingly sharing a supposedly empty Taipei apartment. The beautiful realtor May Lin (Yang Kueimei) brings her lover Ah-jung (Chen Chao-jung) to a vacant unit she has on the market, unaware that it is secretly being occupied by the suicidal funeral salesman Hsiao-kang (Lee Kang-sheng). The three cross paths in a series of precisely staged, tragicomic erotic encounters, but despite their physical proximity, they find themselves no closer to a personal connection. Featuring an intoxicating mix of Antonioni-esque longing and surprising deadpan humor, VIVE L’AMOUR catapulted Tsai to the top of the international filmmaking world and earned him the prestigious Golden Lion at the 1994 Venice International Film Festival.

Saturday Sept. 7, 10:00am, STU Studio

Director Biography

Tsia Ming-liang

Tsai Ming-liang is a filmmaker based in Taiwan. He has been quoted as saying that his varied backgrounds often color his work, and common themes in his films include loneliness and belonging. In total, he has written and directed eleven features, and is considered one of the most decorated filmmakers of Taiwan’s “Second New Wave.” Ming-liang’s sophomore feature, VIVE L’AMOUR (1994), a drama focused on the solitary lives of three individuals unwittingly sharing a single apartment, won the Golden Lion and at the 51st Venice International Film Festival. It was nominated for five awards at the Golden Horse Film Festival, winning three for Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Sound.