Interview: Hou Hsiao-Hsien Talks 'The Assassin,' Making Wuxia Films, And Defying Expectations

Hou Hsiao-Hsien may not be a household name in America, but the legendary Taiwanese director —responsible for sterling dramas about his native country’s history and culture, including 1993’s “The Puppetmaster,” 1996’s “Goodbye South, Goodbye,” 1998’s “Flowers of Shanghai,” and 2005’s “Three Times”— has made a bid for greater mainstream recognition with “The Assassin.” 

A meditation on the Chinese “wuxia” (i.e. martial arts/swordsman) genre, Hou’s latest retains his signature long takes, poetic pacing and naturalistic atmosphere, even as it employs these elements for more action-oriented material. The story of a trained killer (Shu Qi) who after a failed mission is sent back to her hometown to slay its governor (Cang Chen), "The Assassin" is a film of dazzling, hypnotic beauty. 

READ MORE: Cannes Review: Hou Hsiao-Hsien's 'The Assassin' Is An Epic Visual Poem

Having nabbed Hou a Best Director prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and having premiered...