Renowned Taiwanese actress Shu Qi’s (舒淇) directorial debut, Girl (女孩), has been shortlisted for the prestigious Golden Lion Award at next month's 82nd annual Venice International Film Festival (VIFF). It is the first time in 12 years that a Taiwanese film has been selected.
Shu said in a statement on Tuesday that she wanted to thank all of the movie's cast and crew, although the details of the film and those involved have to remain confidential.
The actress and the film's production company have only released the names of the main cast, which included Taiwanese actor Roy Chiu (邱澤) and singer 9m88.
Photo courtesy of Applause Entertainment
Shu went on to thank her mentor, renowned Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), whose 1989 film A City of Sadness (悲情城市) won the Golden Lion Award at the 46th edition of VIFF in 1989, the first film from Taiwan to do so.
I “would like to thank director Hou the most," Shu said. "Without him, there won't be Girl."
She went on to thank the VIFF jurors and everyone who has helped her during her career, adding that she felt she had already won an award.
Girl's producer, Yeh Ju-feng (葉如芬), revealed that Shu had decided to make her first film after an illustrious 30-year career as an actress after she served as a member of the 80th VIFF in 2023 and got the chance to enjoy films made by new directors.
Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠) yesterday congratulated Shu, wishing her luck in following in the footsteps of Hou.
“Let’s welcome a new era of Taiwanese cinema,” Li said.
“There will be many more exciting Taiwanese movies coming out this year,” Li added.
Last year, the Tokyo International Film Festival selected Daughter’s Daughter (女兒的女兒), an important milestone for Taiwanese films going international, Li said, praising the films’ aesthetics and innovative creativity.
Girl is the first Taiwanese movie since Tsai Ming-liang’s (蔡明亮) Stray Dogs (郊遊) in 2013 to be eligible to win the festival’s grand prize, the Golden Lion Award, the Ministry of Culture said.
Previously, the festival announced that Joe Hsieh's (謝文明) Praying Mantis (螳螂) would also be featured in the Orizzonti Short Films International Competition.
Taiwan is also represented by six experiences being offered at the Venice Immersive section competition: La Magie Opera, The Clouds are Two Thousand Meters Up, Sense of Nowhere, Blur, Dark Rooms, L’Ombre (The Shadow).
One other experience, Happy Shadow, is set to feature but not compete.
All of the competing experiences were co-produced by people from Taiwan and other countries.
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