Only Old Friends Left Alive (2026)

Beneath the canopy of a classic Taipei arcade, two retired friends, Lao Cao and Xiao Lai, have upheld a thirty-year ritual of occupying opposing chairs at a modest drink stand. Each evening, they lift their glasses, exchange decades of unscripted chatter, and mark time through unwavering routine. Their steadfast habit catches the eye of a novice filmmaker who initially pauses only to observe, but eventually finds himself pulling up a stool and stepping into their orbit. What begins as passive observation transforms into countless unforgettable evenings layered with dry wit, surreal situations, and quiet emotional depth. As seasons cycle into decades, life intervenes: absences lengthen, physical decline sets in, and delicate ties continuously heal and splinter. Now firmly in their twilight years, their pouring days are drawing to a close, and their once-regular gatherings have faded into occasional memories. This intimate, character-focused narrative explores how enduring brotherhood gently reshapes itself against the steady backdrop of aging, memory, and urban Taipei life.