“Nina Wu,” a dark drama about the Asian film industry, sexual harassment, and one woman’s paranoia, will get a release in North American theaters in 2020.
Rights to the Taiwanese-produced picture, which premiered at the Cannes festival in the Un Certain Regard section, were acquired by New York-based distributor Film Movement.
The film was directed by Taiwan-based Burmese director Midi Z, and originally written by lead actress Wu Ke-xi, who draws on her own experiences.
In the film, an aspiring actress finally gets her big break with a leading role in a spy thriller set in the 1960s. The part, which calls for nudity and explicit sex scenes, is made more challenging by the director’s repeated humiliations. While seemingly on the brink of professional triumph, the woman’s psychological resolve begins to crack, and she becomes convinced that a mysterious woman may be stalking and attacking her.
The acquisition announcement was made by Michael Rosenberg, president of Film Movement, and producer Isabelle Ho of Seashore Image Productions. The producers were represented by CAA. In other territories the rights are handled by Paris-based sales agency Luxbox.
“Midi Z and Wu Ke-Xi deliver a searing account of the psychological toll faced by many women – wherever they may be. ‘Nina Wu’ is an incredible ride through the nightmares we increasingly hear about in the news,” said Rosenberg. The theatrical outing will be followed by releases on home entertainment and digital platforms, including the company’s own Film Movement Plus.
Film Movement has also recently acquired: Japan’s “A Girl Missing,” from director Koji Fukada; Diao Yinan’s Chinese gangland noir “The Wild Goose Lake”; Bertrand Bonello’s horror-fantasy “Zombi Child” which is set for a Jan. 24, 2020 release; and Hlynur Palmason’s grief and revenge tale “A White, White Day.”