Life in rural Jiufen is simple for childhood sweethearts Wan and Huen. Each day, they take the slow train between school and their small mining town. But with the local mining industry in decline, Wan decides to forgo high school and seek work in Taipei. Soon after, Huen follows suit. The young couple struggles with life in the big city, but they persevere by supporting each other. When Wan leaves for mandatory military service, they stay in touch by writing letters. Based on screenwriter Wu Nien-jen’s personal experiences, Dust in the Wind reflects on the lives of 1970s Taiwanese youths who had to leave their countryside homes in search of a ‘better’ life in the city. Director Hou Hsiao-hsien delicately portrays unspoken sentiments between people, and the possibility of finding solace in bittersweet memories.

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 Loveable You in 1981. Hou’s string of critical successes, including The Boys from Fengkuei (1983), A Time to Live, A Time to Die (1985), and Dust in the Wind (1986), made him one of the most notable names in New Taiwanese 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), has also garnered awards at film festivals such as Cannes and Golden Horse Awards.