
Afternoon. 2015. Taiwan. Directed by Tsai Ming-Liang. With Tsai Ming-Liang, Lee Kang-Sheng. DCP. In Mandarin; English subtitles. 137 min.
Tsai Ming-Liang’s films typically have few lines of dialogue. He must have saved all his words for Afternoon, a conversation between him and his muse, actor Lee Kang-sheng, filmed in four static takes as the two sit next to each other in front of the camera. The visibly moved director talks to Lee about mortality, his beloved grandfather, sexuality, and their special bond in this laying bare of intimate thoughts. Lee, like the characters he plays in Tsai’s films, speaks little, but the connection and love between the two are unmistakable. This is a must-see companion piece to Tsai’s rich body of work.