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{{Infobox film
| name           = Vive l'amour
| image          = Vive L'Amour cover.jpg
| native_name    = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes
| t    = 愛情萬歲
| s    = 爱情万岁
| p    = Àiqíng wànsuì
| l    = Long live love}}
| starring       = [[Yang Kuei-mei]]<br>[[Lee Kang-sheng]]<br>[[Chen Chao-jung]]
| director       = [[Tsai Ming-liang]]
| writer         = Tsai Ming-liang<br>Tsai Yi-chun<br>Yang Pi-ying
| producer       = Chung Hu-pin<br>[[Hsu Li-kong]]
| cinematography = Liao Pen-jung<br>Lin Ming-kuo
| editing        = Sung Shia-cheng
| studio         = Central Motion Pictures
| distributor    = Central Motion Pictures
| released       = {{Film date|1994|09|02|[[51st Venice International Film Festival|Venice]]|df=y}}
| runtime        = 118 minutes
| country        = Taiwan
| language       = Mandarin
| budget         = 
}}

'''''Vive l'amour''''' ({{lang-zh|t=愛情萬歲|s=爱情万岁|p=Àiqíng wànsuì}}; {{lit|long live love}}) is a 1994 [[Cinema of Taiwan|Taiwanese New Wave]] film directed by [[Tsai Ming-liang]]. Starring [[Lee Kang-sheng]], [[Yang Kuei-mei]] and [[Chen Chao-jung]].

The film had its world premiere at the [[51st Venice International Film Festival]], where it won the [[Golden Lion]], the festival's top prize.

While the film was celebrated by most film critics when it was first released, its vague storyline and cinematic techniques resulted in an average box office turnout.

== Plot ==

Hsiao-kang, a young salesman for commercial [[ossuary]], notices a key to a vacant apartment, forgotten by a real estate agent, dangling in its locks and promptly pockets it while no one else is around. He soon moves into one of the bedrooms. One night he attempts to commit suicide by slitting his wrists while lying on the bed, but gets distracted by a noise coming from another corner of the apartment.

Meanwhile, Ah-jung is having coffee at a food court when an attractive real estate agent, May Lin, sits at the table next to his. Intrigued after they share a glance, he follows her as she walks down the street. Lin catches on and eventually joins him. She leads him to a vacant apartment that she has on the market—the same apartment that Hsiao-kang is secretly staying in—and they have sex in one of the bedrooms. Hsiao-kang, who is contemplating suicide in another room, hears them and tries to stop the bleeding from his wrists.

Ah-jung steals the key to the apartment from May Lin and later returns with his belongings. He moves into one of the adjoining bedrooms. On his first night in the apartment, carrying a melon which he subsequently [[Making out|makes out]] with and uses as a bowling ball, Ah-jung and Hsiao-kang encounter each other in the apartment and have a short argument.

May Lin spends her day trying to sell property. While taking a break, she returns to the apartment when Hsiao-kang and Ah-jung are both there. The two sneak out quietly together and soon form a friendship.

One night, Hsiao-kang goes out for a walk and meets Ah-jung selling dresses on the street. May Lin walks past but does not notice them. Soon, Ah-jung joins her at a food stand and the two return to the apartment and sleep together in the same room as they did the first time. Unbeknownst to them, Hsiao-kang is hiding under the bed the entire time, masturbating himself as the bed creaks above him.

The next morning, May Lin gets dressed and leaves. Hsiao-kang lies next to the sleeping Ah-jung and kisses him before slowly pulling away. Lin goes to her car but cannot start it, so instead she walks on a path in the unfinished [[Daan Forest Park]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Davis |first1=Darrell Williams |last2=Chen |first2=Ru-shou Robert |date=2007 |title=Cinema Taiwan: Politics, Popularity and State of the Arts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ngBUDB0klQC&pg=PA57 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134125838 }}</ref> She then sits down on a bench and starts to cry uncontrollably.

== Cast ==

* [[Yang Kuei-mei]] (楊貴媚) as May Lin – a real estate agent and a heavy smoker, who uses the empty apartment for sexual affairs. She brings Ah-hung to one of the properties she has been trying to sell and has sex with him.
* [[Lee Kang-sheng]] (李康生) as Hsiao-kang – a salesman for commercial [[ossuary|ossuaries]] (納骨塔), who discovers an apartment key and secretly moves into the apartment.
* [[Chen Chao-jung]] (陳昭榮) as Ah-jung – a street vendor, who steals the key to the apartment May Lin brings him to and later moves into the apartment. Sharing the absurd life situations together, he forms a friendship with Hsiao-kang after having a quarrel with him at the apartment where they both secretly live in.
* [[Lu Yi-ching]] (陸弈靜) as a coffee shop owner (uncredit)

== Themes ==
Continuing Tsai Ming-liang's attentive observation of urban life, ''Vive l'amour'' unfolds the theme of urban alienation through three young urbanites' search for romance and their disbelief in traditional family values in the 1990s [[Taipei]]. Tsai Ming-liang takes a bold move with plot lines that are stylistically designed to focus on only a trio of main characters, who unknowingly share an apartment in Taipei. The cinematic language of ''Vive l'amour'' is kept to an extreme minimum. Tsai Ming-liang's austere composition of dialogues with a total of less than a hundred lines throughout the film, paired with a minimalist use of background music and soundtrack, reflects the emotional loneliness and spiritual emptiness experienced by the three urbanites of Taipei.

With its daring long takes piercing through the deep hearts of the depressed characters, ''Vive l'amour'' introduces the unique "Tsai Ming-liang style", which is later embraced by international audiences and critics, and attracts European and American audiences to enter the lonely world Tsai Ming-liang's cinematic language portrays on screen. 

== Reception ==

''Vive l'amour'' won the [[Golden Lion]] award at the [[51st Venice International Film Festival]].<ref>[http://www.allmovie.com/work/vive-lamour-133877/awards "Vive l'Amour Awards"]. [[AllMovie]]. Retrieved 24 October 2010.</ref> It also won three [[Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards|Golden Horse Awards]], for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Sound Effects, Tsai Ming-liang won Best Director among [[Edward Yang]] for ''[[A Confucian Confusion]]'', Wong Kar-wai for ''[[Chungking Express]]'', and [[Stanley Kwan]] for ''[[Red Rose White Rose]]''. He received the award from [[Ang Lee]] and [[Tsui Hark]]. In his speech, Tsai humorously noted that the Golden Horse Awards has the highest number of jury members and is arguably the most difficult award to win.<ref>The 31st Golden Horse Awards Ceremony (1994): Best Director, presented by Tsui Hark and Ang Lee {{Citation |title=1994第31屆金馬獎：最佳導演獎蔡明亮《愛情萬歲》，頒獎人徐克、李安 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wDnqSE3CNE |access-date=2023-03-26 |language=en}}</ref>

On [[AllMovie]], reviewer Jonathan Crow praised the film, writing that "[director Tsai Ming-liang] presents Taipei as a soulless, ultra-modern labyrinth where individuals cannot communicate other than in one-night stands or business transactions. The film's style is masterful in both economy and emotional power. With very long takes, little narrative tension, and almost no dialogue, the style reinforces the cold, alienating world in which the characters live."<ref>[https://www.allmovie.com/movie/vive-lamour-v133877/review "Vive l'Amour (1994)"]. [[AllMovie]]. Retrieved 5 January 2019.</ref>

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|86|8|14|access-date=16 November 2023|ref=y}} In the 2012 ''[[Sight & Sound]]'' polls it received two critics' votes and three directors' votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7db816ac/sightandsoundpoll2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113232253/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7db816ac/sightandsoundpoll2012|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 13, 2019|title=Votes for AIQING WANSUI (1994) {{!}} BFI|website=www.bfi.org.uk|access-date=2019-01-13}}</ref>

In a recent review following ''Vive l'amour''<nowiki/>'s [[Film restoration|2K restoration]], ''Film Inquiry'' critic Lee Jutton praised, "Very few filmmakers portrays the hunger for human connection with as much humor and pathos as Tsai Ming-liang." She concluded her review with the note that, "Even when they are placed in the most absurd situations, Tsai Ming-liang's characters convey feelings so incredibly universal that it’s impossible to not relate to them. ''Vive L'Amour'' is one of the best and brightest examples of this; it's never looked better to feel so alone."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jutton |first=Lee |date=2022-03-14 |title=VIVE L'AMOUR: Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely |url=https://www.filminquiry.com/vive-lamour-1994-review/ |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=Film Inquiry |language=en-us}}</ref>

Also following ''Vive l'amour''<nowiki/>'s 2K restoration, ''[[Washington Square News]]'' Arts Editor Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer described ''Vive l'amour'' as "not a mere three-fold character study, but a blown-up portrait of a soul draped in sorrow that Ming-liang generously decided to make into a movie."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Akdag |first=Yas |last2=Pedrero-Setzer |first2=Nicolas |date=2022-03-22 |title=Review: 'Vive L'Amour' chillingly conveys the ennui of the everyday |url=https://nyunews.com/arts/film/2022/03/22/vive-lamour/ |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=Washington Square News}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
On [[New Year's Eve]] in 2023—as inspired by a viral [[Facebook]] post—a [[flash mob]] gathered at Daan Forest Park at midnight to re-enact the closing scene of ''Vive l'amour''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 January 2025 |title=Thousands shed tears over new year film |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/01/02/2003829522 |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=[[Taipei Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=31 December 2024 |title=From crying to plate smashing, the odd ways some ring in the New Year |url=https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/odd-ways-to-celebate-new-year-13848801.html |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=First Post}}</ref> The gathering was seen as being symbolic of the emotions felt by revellers on New Year's Eve (who were seen dancing, crying, and socializing with others); an attendee told [[CNN]] that the event was reflective of the belief that "there isn't a uniform way of living and expressing emotions".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=Wayne |date=December 30, 2024 |title=Some cheer and toast to welcome the New Year. In Taiwan, people cry their eyes out |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/taiwan-new-years-eve-crying-tradition-vive-lamour-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref> The following year, the [[Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute]] organised the gathering as a formal event to mark the 30th anniversary of ''Vive l'amour'' and the park's opening; the event featured a screening of the film before midnight, and special guest appearances by Tsai Ming-liang, Yang Kuei-mei and Lee Kang-sheng. The event was attended by around 2,500 people.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lai |first=Sunny |date=31 December 2024 |title=Over 2,500 gather for 'cry' movie event in Taipei to see out 2024 |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/culture/202412310028 |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=Focus Taiwan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Charlotte |date=2 January 2025 |title=Crowds gather for crying event on New Year's Eve in Taipei |url=https://taiwannews.com.tw/news/6005488 |access-date=2 January 2025 |work=[[Taiwan News]]}}</ref>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{IMDb title|id=0109066|title=Vive l'amour}}

{{Tsai Ming-liang}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''Vive l'amour''
|list =
{{Golden Horse Award for Best Narrative Feature}}
{{Silver Screen Awards for Best Film}}
{{Golden Lion}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vive L'amour}}
[[Category:1994 films]]
[[Category:1994 drama films]]
[[Category:1994 LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:Taiwanese drama films]]
[[Category:Taiwanese LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:1990s Mandarin-language films]]
[[Category:Golden Lion winners]]
[[Category:Films whose director won the Best Director Golden Horse Award]]
[[Category:Films about homelessness]]
[[Category:Films directed by Tsai Ming-liang]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Tsai Ming-liang]]
[[Category:Central Motion Picture Corporation films]]