Shot in the rural Taiwanese environs of his youth, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s most directly autobiographical film recounts his experiences as the son of exiles from mainland China. Growing up in the shadow of an ailing, distant father and the even more distant homeland he last saw as an infant, “Ah-ha” (Hou’s childhood nickname) matures into a disgruntled adolescent, confronted by the impending responsibilities of adulthood. Hou cemented his reputation with his early cycle of coming-of-age dramas, and THE TIME TO LIVE AND THE TIME TO DIE is often ranked as the best of the group.

35mm collection print courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive