Tayyaba
Recent speculation surrounding famous director, writer and producer Hou Hsiao-hsien, specifically regarding his retirement, has been confirmed by his family. They announced that the 76-year-old filmmaker has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and, as a result, he is unable to complete his feature film On the Shulan River, and is retiring from filmmaking.
What did Hou Hsiao-hsien’s family say about his retirement?
After translation, local media retrieved this statement from the Taiwanese director’s family: ”Before the diagnosis, he often told us that he found that his love for movies became more and more pure… He has now fully returned to family life and is resting peacefully.”
The official statement also noted that the filmmakers projects “have received a lot of recognition at home and abroad in the past, and he has also left many classic works. Not only will he not be forgotten in the torrents of time, his attitude and spirit towards movies will also be preserved by his comrades and fans. Thank you all again.”
Hou Hsiao-hsien: A Filmmaker Like No Other
Hou, a festival staple and key participant in Taiwan’s 1980s new wave film movement, won the Golden Lion at Venice for 1989’s A City of Sadness and the Best Director award at Cannes for 2015’s The Assassin. Well known for his work, Hsiao-hsien was much loved and admired in the entertainment history. Some of his other popular films include The Puppetmaster, which received the Cannes Jury Prize in 1993, Flowers of Shanghai in 1998, Millennium Mambo in 2001, and Flight of the Red Balloon in 2007.