Following the critical success of The River and The Hole, Taiwan-based writer-director Tsai Ming-Liang returns with his fifth feature.
The film also continues Tsais pairing with actor Lee Kang-Sheng, who as has been the case in all of Tsais films plays recurring character Hsaio-Kang.
Dedicated to Lee and Tsais fathers, What Time Is It There? is an examination of alienation and loss set in Paris and Taipei, Tsais adopted home.
Calculatedly sparse, it employs a stationary camera, little dialogue and long takes. Although this makes for challenging viewing that will not be to everyones taste, the film boasts great photography, inspired moments of absurd, surreal humour and the most brilliantly subtle ending of any film youre likely to see this year.