Golden Horse Winner Henry Tsai Takes Aim With ‘Spent Bullets’ at Taiwan Creative Content Fest

Henry Tsai, the Golden Horse Award-winning screenwriter of “Winds of September,” is set to direct “Spent Bullets,” an adaptation of Terao Tetsuya’s acclaimed literary work, with the project selected for presentation at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF).

The film follows Silicon Valley engineers Wu Yi-Hsiang and Hsiao-Hua as they journey to Las Vegas to mourn their genius classmate Jie-Heng. During the highway trip, they must confront the intimacy, shame, and desire they once shared — a premise that explores the intersection of success, love, and human connection.

“I was captivated by the plight of being a genius, and the subtle and hard-to-define erotic relationships in the stories,” Tsai said. “I was inspired to tell a story on screen that explores the correlation between success and love.”

The director emphasized the film’s emotional core: “Someone will love you for who you are, no matter if you’re successful or wealthy. You deserve that love, and you know how to give it as well as to receive it.”

Produced by Jacqueline W. Liu through Taipei-based Each Other Films, which she co-founded with Tiffany Yu-Chia Chen, the project is eyeing a May 2026 start for principal photography in the U.S., with Taiwan shoots scheduled to follow in June. The team is actively seeking financing and co-producing partners at TCCF.

Each Other Films’ recent slate includes the family drama “Little Big Women” (2020), comedy series “The Accidental Influencer” (2024), and romantic comedy “Penguin Girl” (2024).

Tsai has built a strong festival pedigree with his short films. “Love After Time” earned nominations at both the Golden Horse Awards and Sitges Film Festival, while “Live Stream from Yuki <3” was selected for Sundance, Sitges, and Munich Film Festival. His short “My Grandma” also received a Golden Horse nomination.

The source material comes from Terao Tetsuya, a Taiwanese former Google software engineer operating under a pseudonym who spent eight years at the tech giant before turning to writing. His works “Spent Bullets” and “Overfitting” have won several literature awards. “Spent Bullets” has already been translated into English and Korean.