A Time to Live and a Time to Die
1985 · Movie · PG · 136 min · ★ 7.3 · 95% critics
This autobiographical drama follows a young person growing up in Taiwan after a family’s move from mainland China. Drawn from personal memories, it looks at everyday life, family change, and the experience of coming of age in a new place.
Also known as The Time to Live and the Time to Die · The Time to Live, the Time to Die
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Details
- Original title
- 童年往事
- Years
- 1985
- Release date
- 1985-08-03
- Language
- Chinese
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 136 min
- Critic score
- 95/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (108 votes)
About
You may like this if you’re drawn to reflective, memory-based coming-of-age dramas about family and identity, especially if Taipei Story or Yi Yi appeal to you; Not for you if you want fast pacing or a high-concept plot.
Pros: intimate coming-of-age story; personal memory feel; strong sense of place | Cons: quiet everyday focus; limited plot information; no review consensus
Themes
- family relationships
- coming of age
- taiwan
- youth gang
- semi autobiographical
- autobiographical
- 1940s
- 1950s
- 1960s
Cast & crew
Yu An-shun
as Ah Ha / Ah Hsiao
Tien Feng
as Hou Fen Ming
Mei Fang
as Ming's Wife
Tang Ru-Yun
as Ming's Mother
Hsin Shu-Fen
as Wu Shumei
Hsiao Ai
as Hsiao's Sister
- NS
Ng Siu-Ying
Grace Chen
- HH
Hu Hsiang-Ping
- LS
Lam Shung-Man
Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien