Liao Pen-jung

From Gregg Araki to Wong Kar Wai, the ‘90s were alive with rich cinematic visions of youth and urban alienation. Tsai Ming-liang’s debut might be the best of both worlds: a cast of melancholy souls tirelessly search for themselves in Taipei’s streets and find what or may not be a false idol…

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Venice, Tsai Ming-liang’s Stray Dogs is an exceedingly beautiful and heartbreaking gem. The film brings out a rare intensity from its performers through its mise-en-scène, as incredible close-ups and audacious camera placements stun in this formal masterpiece.