Movie director
Part of the second generation of the New Taiwanese Cinema, Ming Liang Tsai is the director of 11 feature films. His directorial debut, Rebels of the Neon God, released in 1992, introduced queer themes in Taiwanese cinema. In his career, he has been shortlisted four times for the Venice Film Festival, three times for the Cannes Film Festival, three times for the Berlin Film Festival, and eight times for the Golden Horse Awards for Best Director. His most recent film, Days, garnered critical recognition at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival and was shown at the New York Film Festival.
Tsai was born in Kuching, Malaysia in 1957 to Hakka Chinese farmers. In his 20s, he moved to Taipei and graduated from the Drama and Cinema Department of the Chinese Cultural University of Taiwan, after which he worked as a theatrical producer and TV director. His films are often categorised as 'slow cinema', characterised by long takes, minimal plot and dialogue, and ambient sound.
Awards
2020
Berlin Film Festival Teddy Jury Award for Days
2019
Golden Horse Award for Best Documentary for Your Face
2013
Golden Horse Award for Best Director for Stray Dogs
2013
Venice Film Festival Special mention & Grand Jury Prize for Stray Dogs
Did You Know?
Ming Liang Tsai has never made a feature film without his long-time collaborator and muse, Kang-sheng Lee.