What Time Is It Over There? 2002

As Taipei’s streets reverberate with the rhythms of daily life, Hsiao-kang (played by actor) plies his trade as a watch vendor from a worn briefcase. But fate intervenes when his father passes away, leaving him to grapple with the weight of loss and tradition. Amidst this emotional turmoil, Shiang-chyi appears at his doorstep, seeking a dual-time watch for her impending journey to the City of Light - Paris. Her persistence eventually wins over Hsiao-kang’s hesitation, as she convinces him to part with his personal timepiece, one that holds sentimental value due to its being out of stock.

As Shiang-chyi boards a flight to Paris, Hsiao-kang’s thoughts are drawn to the cinematic world he has recently entered through The 400 Blows. In a bid to bridge the physical distance between himself and the city of his dreams, he begins to manipulate every clock and watch in his life to conform to Paris time. Meanwhile, Shiang-chyi finds herself alone in her Parisian surroundings, wandering aimlessly through shops, restaurants, and subway tunnels.

Back in Taipei, Hsiao-kang’s mother struggles to cope with her husband’s passing, leaving offerings of food and water in the hopes that he might be reincarnated. Her superstition is reflected in her peculiar behavior - she alters the time on their household clock to believe that her deceased husband has returned, blocking out all natural light and engaging in a heated argument with her son.

Shiang-chyi’s journey takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Jean-Pierre Léaud, the iconic actor from The 400 Blows, at a Parisian cemetery. Later, she finds solace in the company of another Chinese woman, sharing a tender moment before retiring to her host’s bed. In Taipei, Hsiao-kang’s mother indulges in a solitary dinner for one, only to find herself succumbing to the primal urges that had been building up.

As night falls, Hsiao-kang’s nocturnal exploits lead him to a fleeting encounter with a prostitute, whose theft of his briefcase leaves him feeling vulnerable and exposed. The next morning, he returns home to find his mother waiting for her husband at the dinner table, her grief still palpable. Shiang-chyi, meanwhile, sits alone by a poolside bench, her tears falling like rain as she succumbs to exhaustion.

It is in this moment of collective despair that Hsiao-kang’s father reappears, plucking Shiang-chyi’s suitcase from the water and disappearing into the night, leaving the characters to ponder the nature of existence and the mysteries that lie beyond.