A group of rebellious teenage boys leave their remote island village for the bustling port city of Kaohsiung, where they contend with scam artists, unrequited love, and the rigors of life on their own. Hou Hsiao-hsien’s breakthrough feature set a number of milestones, including his first collaboration with renowned writer Chu Tien-wen, whose screenplay drew inspiration from Hou’s own adolescence. Developing Hou’s careful, naturalistic approach against the backdrop of Taiwan’s “economic miracle,” THE BOYS FROM FENGKUEI is a seminal work of Taiwanese cinema that confirmed the arrival of a major new talent.

New 4K restoration courtesy of CINEMATEK, Brussels