Commissioned by the legendary Japanese studio Shochiku to mark the centenary of master director Yasujiro Ozu, Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Café Lumière captures the spirit of Ozu’s Tokyo through a contemporary lens. The film follows Yoko, a young writer who returns to Tokyo and quietly informs her traditional parents that she is pregnant and intends to raise the child alone. While her family navigates this silent anxiety, Yoko spends her days researching a twentieth-century Taiwanese composer, aided by her bookstore owner friend.

Instead of mimicking Ozu’s iconic style, Hou and his long-time cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-Bing marry Ozu’s geometric, multi-layered framing with their own distinct cinematic language. Lee allows the camera to drift with an almost imperceptible movement, turning Tokyo’s train tracks and cafes into a tranquil, delicate visual landscape. Through his intuitive use of ambient light, Lee crafts a deeply comforting atmosphere that captures both the fragility and sweetness of modern urban life.

The film will be presented in 35 mm. Print courtesy of the National Film Archive of Japan.

Hou Hsiao-Hsien (b. 1947, Guangdong) moved to Taiwan with his family soon after he was born. After completing his military service, he studied filmmaking at university. In 1973, Hou entered the film industry, serving as assistant director and in other positions. He made his directorial debut with Cute Girl (also known as Loveable You) in 1980. Hou’s string of critical successes, including The Boys from Fengkuei (1983), The Time to Live and the Time to Die (1985), and Dust in the Wind (1986), made him one of the most notable names in Taiwan New Cinema. The award-winning A City of Sadness (1989) and The Puppetmaster (1993) cemented his status as a leading figure in world cinema. Hou’s most recent film, The Assassin (2015), garnered awards at film festivals such as Cannes and the Golden Horse Awards.