I Heard That They Are Not Going to See Each Other Anymore (2026) by Kaki Wong Documentary Review

“I Heard That They Are Not Going to See Each Other Anymore” is a mashup of different styles, tones, aesthetics, media and stories, all jumbled up together into something that’s more akin to an extended moodboard than a film. Lives of Shin, Melih, Tang Tao and Ping are loosely intertwined in a freeflowing debut film from Kaki Wong. All immersed in some form of recollection, mourning or stupor, they live their lonely lives in the crowded metropolis. Whilst realities blend and fantasies and memories clash, there seems very little coming out of this immersive strategy. Inspirations drawn from Taiwanese New Wave Cinema are clear, ranging from overall aesthetics, pacing and camerawork to themes of urban solitude. Ultimately, these associations only make the film’s shortcomings more apparent. This is because the director confuses vagueness for lyricism, nonsense for absurd and banality for mystery. The film, whilst highly ornamental, fails at simply inviting the viewer into its world. Despite its rich visual design, unusual frames (cinematography by Ka Hei Tang), bold editing choices, and over-the-top performances, “I Heard…” frustrates at the more rudimentary aspect, namely, storytelling. The story is a meandering slog, moving between several characters who, despite overwhelming “I Heard…” with monologues, remain completely anonymous. As walking vague-posters, protagonists talk about their experiences sans context, focusing on the aftermath of some of their life choices without letting the viewer into the meat of the actual events. In the film, character development is replaced by simply having protagonists be sad or weird in front of the camera. While many elements could be labelled ‘Absurd,’ treating that as a justification feels lazy. The visuals of a woman driving on a scooter through busy streets of Taipei, although initially interesting, fail to compel, because they don’t lead anywhere. Similarly, attempts at breaking the fourth wall, with the characters staring into the camera or suddenly asking the director for instructions, pull out the viewer from the immersion offering nothing in return. The director lets the characters ramble for ages about everything in a way which is so abstract, that permeating it in any way becomes an obstacle course for the viewer. In a most telling exchange, the protagonist is questioned by the director about what he threw out into the trash. “My life” he answers. Despite numerous attempts from the director, we never learn what that Coelhoesque claim means exactly. All of the above doesn’t address the biggest tension in “I Heard…” which is its hybridity. The film blurs the fact-fiction dichotomy, as it is unclear what fraction of it all is documentary. Although the whole thing feels staged and unnatural, the ‘hybrid’ label ultimately adds little to the discussion. Inaccessible as fiction, not revealing anything as documentary, “I Heard…” is a mismatch made by an image-maker, but not fully a storyteller. It fails as an exercise in creating fantasy worlds which, despite their idiosyncrasies, remain impossible to immerse in. Filled with gags, optical illusions, bold location choices, the film sets the scene perfectly. And yet, the story never truly arrives. Tags:Elizabeth Tang TaoI Heard That They Are Not Going To See Each Other AnymoreKaki WongMelih SelcukShin Cheung Yuk Hin