Three Times Hou Hsiao Hsien Jun 2026

(2005) is a masterpiece by Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-hsien . The film is a poetic triptych that explores love, memory, and time. It features the same two lead actors— Shu Qi and Chang Chen —playing different couples across three distinct eras of Taiwanese history.

This is the "time for youth," but youth, Hou argues, is not freedom. Youth is the age of addiction—to phones, to drugs (Jing is a pill-popper), to the fantasy of romance. The lovers in this segment are the most physically intimate (they actually have sex on screen), yet they are the loneliest. three times hou hsiao hsien

Set in the pool halls of Kaohsiung , this segment is a nostalgic, semi-autobiographical look at innocent yearning. (2005) is a masterpiece by Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-hsien

in three distinct love stories set across different eras of Taiwanese history: 1911, 1966, and 2005. Narrative Structure and Themes This is the "time for youth," but youth,

The film is divided into three distinct segments, each titled after a different time period: "A Happy Man" (set in the 1960s), "A Sad Man" (set in the 1970s), and "A Lonely Man" (set in the 2000s). Each segment features a different cast, but all are connected by themes of love, loss, and longing.