Tsai Ming-liang (Chinese: 蔡 明亮, Pinyin: Cài Míngliàng; born October 27, 1957) is a Malaysian-Taiwanese filmmaker. He has written and directed 11 feature films and has also directed many short films, television films, documentaries and art installations. Tsai is one of the most celebrated "Second New Wave" film directors of Taiwanese cinema. His films have been acclaimed worldwide and have won numerous film festival awards.
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Biography from TMDB.
- October 27, 1957 (69)
- Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Director, writer, actor and producer
- 9 on MovieCove · 68 credits in all
What are Tsai Ming-liang's films like?
Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 9
A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 3 · Dark 4
Grounded 4 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 2
A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 3 · Intense 1
Steady 6 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 0
Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0
A split, not a type: Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 3
Easy watch 4 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 2
Resolved 1 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 8
Moods and endings
- Bittersweet2
- Ambiguous8
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Tsai Ming-liang's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Fandor (2).
Subscription and free streaming for Tsai Ming-liang's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
68 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 15 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Dust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)
Night Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Back Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Abiding Nowhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Xining Public Housing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Strolling Around (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Yilan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Making-of du tournage de Tsai Ming-Liang au Centre Pompidou (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Where (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Where Do You Stand, Tsai Ming-liang? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
The Pursuit of a Cinematic Dream - Tsai Ming-Liang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Wandering (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
The Moon and the Tree (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
The Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Days(2020)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Your Face (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Sand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
The Deserted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Single Belief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Autumn Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Afternoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
No No Sleep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Beautiful 2015 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Journey to the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Stray Dogs(2013)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Letters from the South (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Walker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Diamond Sutra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Sleepwalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
No Form (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Beautiful 2012 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Transformation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
Taipei 24H (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Face(2009)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Madame Butterfly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Remembrance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Sleeping on Dark Waters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
To Each His Own Cinema(2007)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Help Me, Eros (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
It's a Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
The Wayward Cloud(2005)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Aquarium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Welcome to São Paulo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
My Stinking Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Goodbye, Dragon Inn(2003)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
The Missing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The Skywalk Is Gone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Moonlight in the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Parola (su una data) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
What Time Is It There? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
A Conversation with God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
The Hole(1998)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
The River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
My New Friends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Vive L'Amour(1994)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Rebels of the Neon God(1992)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Give Me a Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Li-hsiang’s Love Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
All the Corners of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
The Game They Call Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Run Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Spring Daddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Teenage Fugitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Stray Dogs at the Museum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 68 titles, 67 of them dated from 1984 to 2026.
Biggest box office
Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003)
Highest rated
Rebels of the Neon God (1992)
Most popular right now
The Wayward Cloud (2005)
Film career
- 2009Screen debut· Visage
By role
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Tsai Ming-liang's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 75th percentile, the median of all 9; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 80th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up5
- 50th to 74th4
Shape of the crowd
6 of their 9 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved1
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser6
- Mixed1
Reviewers score the atmosphere 80/100 and the pacing 30/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Tsai Ming-liang work with?
People who share at least 2 of Tsai Ming-liang's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kang-sheng Lee shares the most, 8.
Writers
- Pi-ying YangShared titles: The Hole (1998), Vive L'Amour (1994)See all 2 shared titles with Pi-ying Yang
Actors
- Kang-sheng LeeShared titles: Days (2020), Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009), The Wayward Cloud (2005), Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003), The Hole (1998), Vive L'Amour (1994), Rebels of the Neon God (1992)See all 8 shared titles with Kang-sheng Lee
- Yi-ching LuShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009), The Wayward Cloud (2005), The Hole (1998), Vive L'Amour (1994), Rebels of the Neon God (1992)See all 6 shared titles with Yi-ching Lu
- Shiang-chyi ChenShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009), The Wayward Cloud (2005), Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003), The Hole (1998)See all 5 shared titles with Shiang-chyi Chen
- Kuei-Mei YangShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), The Wayward Cloud (2005), The Hole (1998), Vive L'Amour (1994)See all 4 shared titles with Kuei-Mei Yang
Cinematographers and editors
- Pen-Jung LiaoShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009), The Wayward Cloud (2005), Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003), The Hole (1998), Vive L'Amour (1994), Rebels of the Neon God (1992)See all 7 shared titles with Pen-Jung Liao
- Sheng-Chang ChenShared titles: The Wayward Cloud (2005), Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003)See all 2 shared titles with Sheng-Chang Chen
Producers
- Vincent WangShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009), To Each His Own Cinema (2007), The Wayward Cloud (2005), Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003)See all 5 shared titles with Vincent Wang
- Feng-Chyt JiangShared titles: The Hole (1998), Vive L'Amour (1994), Rebels of the Neon God (1992)See all 3 shared titles with Feng-Chyt Jiang
- Jacques BidouShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Jacques Bidou
- Marianne DumoulinShared titles: Stray Dogs (2013), Face (2009)See all 2 shared titles with Marianne Dumoulin
Mixed roles
- Olivier AssayasShared titles: Le cinéma de Jean-Pierre Léaud (2024), To Each His Own Cinema (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Olivier Assayas
