TAIPEI (Kyodo) — Renowned Taiwanese film director Hou Hsiao-hsien has effectively retired from making movies as he battles dementia, local media reported Wednesday, citing his family.
Hou’s family confirmed in a statement published by Taiwan media that the 76-year-old had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, which was further complicated after contracting COVID-19, leading him to take a break from his work.
The director first gained international fame with the so-called Taiwan trilogy of “A City of Sadness” (1989), “The Puppetmaster” (1993) and “Good Men, Good Women” (1995).
Hou is also known in Japan for his feature film, “Cafe Lumiere” (2003), which starred Japanese pop singer Yo Hitoto, whose father was Taiwanese.
He received the Best Director Award for his 2015 martial arts epic “The Assassin,” featuring Japanese actor Satoshi Tsumabuki, at the Cannes Film Festival.
