Acclaimed Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien is retiring from filmmaking as he battles Alzheimer’s disease, his family recently confirmed in a statement to local Taiwanese media outlets. First announcement: Film scholar Tony Rayns broke the news while introducing the 76-year-old Taiwanese director's 1985 film "A Time to Live, a Time to Die" at the Garden Cinema in London on Monday. Hou family's confirmation: In a statement to Taiwanese media outlets on Wednesday, Hou's family confirmed that the famed director is officially retiring and that he was also diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Gábor Reisz's third film, Explaination for Everything, and Dorka Vermes' directorial debut, Arni, will also be screened at the prestigious film festival.