(NI NEIBIAN JIDIAN, Tsai Ming-Liang, France/Taiwan 2001, 116 min., Taiwanese/French/subtitles)

In Taipei, laconic young watch vendor Hsiao-kang (director Tsai’s frequent collaborator Lee Kang-Sheng) is beset on one side by the fragile emotions of his recently widowed mother and on the other by his longing for a woman, Shiang-chyi, who just left for Paris. Shuttling effortlessly between two continents, Tsai’s tale of time, desire, and displaced city dwellers is enhanced by a marvelously droll sense of visual humor. Followed by the short sequel THE SKYWALK IS GONE (TIAN QIAO BU JIAN LE, Tsai Ming-Liang, Taiwan/France 2002, 25 min.) Members admitted free.