internationally, hou is known for his austere and aesthetically rigorous dramas dealing with the upheavals of taiwanese (and occasionally larger chinese) history of the past century by viewing its impacts on individuals or small groups of characters. "a city of sadness" (1989), for example, portrays a family caught in conflicts between the local taiwanese and the newly arrived chinese nationalist government after world war ii. it was groundbreaking for broaching the long-taboo february 28 incident and ensuing white terror. it became a major critical and commercial success, and garnered the golden lion award at the 1989 venice film festival, making it the first taiwanese film to win the top prize at the prestigious international film festival.