Days

The intricacies of a moment of connection are dwelt on in this meditative examination of male desire by Tsai Ming-liang (Stray Dogs, MIFF 2014; Goodbye, Dragon Inn, MIFF 2004).

Two men live parallel lonely existences in bustling Bangkok: one, a middle-aged Taiwanese landholder (embodied by Tsai regular Lee Kang-sheng), receives an acupuncture-like treatment for his headaches; the other, a younger Lao migrant, prepares dinner for one. Soon, the pair will cross paths through an erotic massage, opening up the possibility of new emotional bonds.

Premiering at the 2020 Berlinale, where it took home the LGBTQIA+-oriented Teddy Jury Award, this immersive, almost dialogue-free work from one of slow cinema’s greatest allows its episodes to unfold at their own pace, eschewing conventional narrative beats to instead focus on bodies, movements and the passage of time. Days is a masterfully tender portrayal of patience, and of quiet but consuming longing.

“A ravishing, wordless story of urban loneliness … Tsai’s enigmas are all the more resonant for their reticence.” – Screen Daily

Please note: This film contains minimal dialogue, which is intentionally not subtitled.