Journey to the West

2014 0h 56m ZH

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 31

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 2014, Tsai Ming-Liang was invited to make a film for the MarseilleFID, Marseille International Film Festival. Since he was not familiar with Marseille, he decided to make a film as tourist, capturing the beautiful Mediterranean sunshine in the late summer of that year. He also invited famous French actor, Denis Lavant, to appear alongside Lee Kang-Sheng playing Xuanzang. "Journey to the West" was invited to be the opening short film at the Berlin International Film Festival the same year.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Lee Kang-sheng
Monk
Denis Lavant
Dragon

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tsai Ming-liang
Languages: No Language
Countries: France, Taiwan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 56-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 12 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Taiwan.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Walker Series" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tsai Ming-liang, shot by Antoine Héberlé. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Lei Chen-ching shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lee Kang-sheng and Denis Lavant carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tsai Ming-liang directs. Antoine Héberlé behind the camera. Lei Chen-ching cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Taiwan. Dialogue in No Language.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 56-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 12 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: France, Taiwan.
4Part of the "Walker Series" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Tsai Ming-liang, shot by Antoine Héberlé. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Editor Lei Chen-ching shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Lee Kang-sheng and Denis Lavant carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt3521442 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 31 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Antoine Héberlé
Editing: Lei Chen-ching
Sound: Xavier Dreyfuss
Runtime: 56 min · 0h 56m
Status: Released
Original language: ZH
IMDB: Journey to the West (2014)

Part of

Walker Series

Tsai Ming-liang's "Walker" series, featuring actor Lee Kang-Sheng in the role of a monk who walks very slowly.

Also by

Tsai Ming-liang

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2016-06-14
★ 7/10
Something a very unique achievement to video document! This is nothing like anything I have ever seen before. Quite an interesting film, but not for everyone. Yep, I thought it was boring in the opening, but later I get used to it and began to analyse. A film that has only a concept, but there's no beginning or the ending. However, displaying the film subject in the variety of angles was stunning. Sometimes I was keenly looking for where the subject has gone. At sometime it felt like a lazy afternoon under the shades while bright sunlight was on the other side. It was a Taiwan-French co-production and an hour long film that documents a Buddhist monk who has undertaken a slow walk procession in the streets of southern France coast city Marseille which is accompanied by a French actor. It reminded me the recent animation I had seen 'Zootopia', where sloths comes into the scene. Had so much fun, but in not here. I don't know what the monk did was called, but definitely it is a fine study material. Like in this modern world where everything is fast and superfast, what it would be like being superslow and how people reacts to it. Actually, many were simply minding their own business, but a few were curiously looking at, like a cultural and/or the religious difference is something to do with it. A cool film, an art film, but not recommended unless you're not looking for the entertainment only. 7/10

Production companies