Underlining the gap between have-nots' life and elites' world by switching between black and white and glamorous colors, The Great Buddha+ vividly illustrates a corrupted village in rural southern Taiwan with memorable style, heartfelt empathy, and whimsical humor.
Security guard Pickle and his trash collector friend Belly Button kill time together in night shifts watching the American-educated boss's dash-cam recordings of his sexual encounters with numerous women. Against the buddies' will, something horrifying rather than erotic reveals. (Cheng Cheng Films)
A poignant portrait of the human spirit.
- Kamran Ahmed, Next Projection
Stunning... An instant classic of contemporary Taiwanese cinema.
- Shelly Kraicer, VIFF
The most important film from Taiwan since [Edward Yang's] Yi Yi.
- Look Chi Man, HK01
Convulsively funny yet uncompromisingly bleak, bridging art with entertainment... Arguably the best film to emerge from a year of exciting resurgence in Taiwan.
- Maggie Lee, Variety
An extended, polite duel of veiled criticism exemplifies what Huang does best: sit back and take pleasure in humans being both ingenious and worthy of laughter.
- Aurélie Godet, Cinema Scope
(Available to download after screening date)