Director Tsai Ming-Liang wants to quit making movies

Chinese director Tsai Ming-Liang is planning to walk away from the movie industry following the release of his new film. The Taiwan-based 55 year old announced the news to reporters during a press conference for Stray Dogs, aka Jiaoyou, at the Venice Film Festival in Italy on Thursday (05Sep13), ahead of the drama’s big premiere.
He said, “I hope this is my last film. This statement is for real, that is my hope…”
Tsai told the media he has tired of working in entertainment due to the the “constant pandering to popular taste” and revealed a severe illness he suffered while shooting Stray Dogs made him realise how precious time really is.
He refused to detail the exact nature of his ailment, but said he was “sick enough that I felt I might die at any moment”.
However, Tsai is refusing to completely rule out a return to filmmaking, confessing, “I also believe in fate and destiny, so I don’t know what awaits me.”
Tsai’s announcement comes just days after producer Koju Hoshino revealed his director pal Hayao Miyazaki was also planning to retire after premiering his new animated film, The Wind Rises, in Venice.