Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

Dust in the Wind (1986): Cast & Plot

Dust in the Wind (1986) movie poster

Dust in the Wind is a 1986 romantic drama directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien, starring Li Tian-Lu as Grandpa, Grace Chen Shu-Fang and Lawrence Ko Yu-Luen. It runs 1 hour 49 minutes.

Dust in the Wind (1986) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 49m (109 min)
Director
Hou Hsiao-hsien
Genres
Drama , Romance
Original language
Chinese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Dust in the Wind About?

The premise of Dust in the Wind without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Originally from the mining town of Jio‑fen, A‑yuan and A‑yun move to Taipei together. By day A‑yuan serves an apprenticeship while attending night school, and A‑yun takes a job assisting a tailor. Their families and friends insist they are perfect for each other, and they believe it too, until they realize that time and fate are beyond their control.

Dust in the Wind Themes & Keywords

· 36 tags
  • part of trilogy
  • coal mine
  • taiwan
  • teen movie
  • couple
  • town
  • sociological
  • dislocation
  • childhood friend
  • militarism
  • melodrama
  • boat
+24 more
  • city
  • teenage boy
  • family relationships
  • mining town
  • teenage girl
  • taipei taiwan
  • boat sails off course
  • high school dropout
  • fate
  • 1970s
  • village
  • neighbor neighbor relationship
  • fisherman
  • small town
  • printing company
  • love
  • grandfather grandson relationship
  • conscription
  • seashore
  • platform
  • railroad signal tower
  • fire
  • father son relationship
  • boyfriend girlfriend relationship
Cast & crew

Dust in the Wind Cast & Characters

Li Tian-Lu leads the cast as Grandpa, with Grace Chen Shu-Fang as Jiang Suyun's Mother and Lawrence Ko Yu-Luen as Mrs. Lin's Son. Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Dust in the Wind

· 6 more
Plot

Dust in the Wind Plot Summary

What happens in Dust in the Wind from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Ah Yuan and Ah Yun are childhood sweethearts who grow up in Jiufen, a rural town nestled in the hills of northern Taiwan. Their days are marked by simple but steady routines: they ride the same train to school each day and then walk back home along the railway and the winding uphill roads that frame their early years. The bond between them deepens as they share the landscape around them, and as their fathers work as coal miners, the two remain inseparable through the rhythms of childhood and adolescence. The setting—dusty streets, earthy smells, and distant quarry echoes—feels like a quiet but persistent backdrop to a first, fragile kind of love.

Full summary

The whole story of Dust in the Wind, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Details

Dust in the Wind Also Known As

8 alternative titles, including “Poussières dans le vent” and “Liàn Liàn Fengchén”.

Also known as
  • Poussières dans le vent
  • Liàn Liàn Fengchén
  • 연연풍진
  • 恋恋风尘
  • Poeira no Vento
  • Lian Lian Feng Chen
  • Пил на вітрі
  • Dust in the wind - Polvere nel vento

Seen Dust in the Wind?

FAQ

Dust in the Wind FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Dust in the Wind, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Dust in the Wind?

Dust in the Wind runs 1 hour 49 minutes (109 minutes).

When was Dust in the Wind released?

Dust in the Wind was released on May 9, 1986.

Who directed Dust in the Wind?

Dust in the Wind was directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien.

More films by Hou Hsiao-hsien

Who is in the cast of Dust in the Wind?

Dust in the Wind stars Li Tian-Lu as Grandpa, Grace Chen Shu-Fang as Jiang Suyun's Mother and Lawrence Ko Yu-Luen as Mrs. Lin's Son, among 10 credited actors.

Does Dust in the Wind have a post-credit scene?

No. Dust in the Wind has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Dust in the Wind in?

The original language of Dust in the Wind is Chinese.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app