Watch: 1 Hour 43 Minute Talk With Hou Hsiao-hsien, Chu T'ien-wen And Olivier Assayas

Set aside a couple hours this weekend to watch a talkback with a filmmaker whose name might not be a household one in Western culture. Even if you don’t instantly recognize his name, or you’re not entirely familiar with the work of Hou Hsiao-hsien, trust me—the hour and 43-minute discussion is well worth it.

Hou Hsiao-hsien has been making films for three and a half decades. His latest feature, “The Assassin,” debuted at Cannes this year to great acclaim. It—and Hou Hsiao-hsien—was nominated for the Palme d'Or, Hsiao-hsien’s seventh nomination for the prize, starting with “The Puppetmaster” in 1993. Though “The Assassin” didn’t win that one, composer Giong Lim won for his soundtrack, and Hou Hsiao-hsien took home the prize for best director (decades earlier, he also won the Jury Prize at Cannes for “The Puppetmaster”). 

Interestingly, much of Hou Hsiao-hsien’s success must also be shared (and attributed) to his long-time collaborator, screenwriter Chu T'ien-wen. With just a few...