Hsiao Kang is a good for nothing who holds signboards for a living. He smokes and pisses in the streets that are ever flowing with vehicles and pedestrians. The only people in his life are his two children. They eat together, brush their teeth together, get changed together and sleep together. They have no water or electricity and sleep on the same mattress with a head of cabbage, tightly embracing each other. The whole city has become a dumping ground for stray dogs and the river is far, far away. Then, one stormy night, he decides to take his children on a sailing trip.

Ten years ago, I saw a man on the streets of Taipei, holding up a sign to advertise tour packages. I was astonished by the sight and filled with questions as I observed him at the traffic light. How long was he going to stand there? How much will he earn? Where does he go if he needs the toilet? Will he run into his friends and relatives? Will he be ashamed if he sees them? What is on his mind? He is like a telephone pole or a wall or a tree. No one notices him, and he doesn't care. Soon afterwards, this industry mushroomed, and human billboards could be seen everywhere, holding up signs that advertised real estate. More and more people had lost their jobs and taken up this new profession of holding up signboards for real estate companies. It was as if their time had become worthless. A thought came to my mind then: I wanted Hsiao Kang to play such a character.

2013 Grand Jury Prize at Venice International Film Festival
2013 Toronto International Film Festival
2013 Vancouver International Film Festival