EXCLUSIVE: Goodfellas has boarded sales on Taiwanese star Shu Qi’s directorial debut Girl, ahead of its world premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival.
The Paris-based company will handle worldwide sales outside of Asia, which is being looked after by Mandarin Vision.
Set in Taiwan in 1988, the intergenerational drama revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom. Her encounter with vibrant and carefree Li-li, reawakens long-buried dreams.
But just as she begins to open up to the world, her mother Chuan’s past resurfaces, echoing her own pain. Caught between inherited sorrow and a longing for freedom, Hsiao-lee must navigate the shadows of a life she never chose.
The Taiwanese cast features actor and singer Roy Chiu (Man in Love), jazz singer and actress 9m88 (Tales of Taipei) and Bai Xiao-Ying (Man in Love).
Shu Qi, who wrote the screenplay and directs, is one of Taiwan’s biggest stars and has garnered multiple awards across her career including two Golden Horse prizes and three Hong Kong Film Awards.
She has worked with Cannes regular Hou Hsiao-hsien on three films, spanning Millennium Mambo (2001), Three Times (2005) and The Assassin (2015), with other credits including Stephen Chow’s Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, Jiang Wen’s Gone With the Bullets, Wuershan’s Mojin: The Lost Legend and Chen Yu-Hsun’s The Village of No Return.
Most recently, Shu Qi starred in Bi Gan’s Resurrection, which premiered in competition in Cannes, winning the Special Jury Prize.
“I was shocked and jumped up and down screaming in my hotel room when I heard the news! I’m filled with joy and happiness,” the actress said in a statement about her excitement about the Venice selection.
“The first thing that came to mind was to thank everyone who helped me work on Girl,” she continued. “I want to thank Hou Hsiao-hsien the most. Without him, Girl wouldn’t have existed. I also want to thank all the programmers of Venice Film Festival, everyone who has helped me grow, all my friends who support and love me, and my husband for his unwavering support. I feel like I’ve won an award, but yes, being selected is a huge recognition for Girl.”
The feature is lead produced by top Taiwanese producer Yeh Jufeng whose credits include A Sun and My Missing Valentine, Breaking and Re-entering, Trouble Girl, The Great Buddha+, The Village of No Return, Our Times, The Wayward Cloud and What Time Is It There? She is also executive producer alongside Qin Hong.
Mandarin said of working with Goodfellas: “We are excited to be working with Goodfellas on Girl. Director Shu Qi is grateful that the team appreciates the film. We are certain that Girl is in good hands, and Goodfellas’ expertise and experience will help the film go far.”
The post Goodfellas Boards Shu Qi’s Venice-Selected Directorial Debut ‘Girl’ As Taiwanese Star Thanks Hou Hsiao-hsien For Support appeared first on Deadline.
