THAT DAY, ON THE BEACH
海灘的一天
Edward Yang’s landmark first theatrical feature announced the arrival of one of world cinema’s great filmmakers and marked the feature debut of legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle. Chia-li (Sylvia Chang), a housewife trapped in a deteriorating marriage, unexpectedly reunites with Ching-ching (Terry Wu), a concert pianist returning to Taiwan after 13 years abroad. As the old friends reflect on the years that separated them, memories gradually reveal the choices, disappointments, and compromises that shaped their lives.
Moving fluidly between past and present, Yang transforms their reunion into an intricate meditation on fractured romance, memory, and the widening generational divide of a rapidly modernizing 1980s Taiwan. Unfolding with the quiet suspense of a mystery, THAT DAY, ON THE BEACH already displays Yang’s extraordinary command of composition, time, and densely layered storytelling. A foundational work of the Taiwanese New Wave and one of the great directorial debuts of the late 20th century, the film returns in a stunning 2K restoration courtesy of the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute and distributed by the American Genre Film Archive.
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