Shu Qi’s directorial debut competes at Venice Film Festival

"Girl" – Shu Qi's Directorial Debut – Competes for Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival 2025

According to Variety, Shu Qi is expected to make a splash at one of the world's most prestigious and long-running film festivals with her first feature, Girl, a work steeped in feminine sensibility.

The 123-minute film is set in 1988 in the port city of Keelung. It follows Lin Xiao-Le, a girl growing up in poverty who longs to escape the darkness of her life. Her fate begins to shift when she meets Li Li-Le, a woman who lives freely and defiantly against society’s judgment. However, Xiao-Le’s desires inadvertently reopen old wounds for her mother, Ah Quan, whose once-bright dreams were crushed by harsh realities. The characters mirror one another’s pain like shattered reflections—each revealing wounds no one can heal.

The cast includes Bai Xiao-Ying, Ethan Ruan (Qiu Ze), singer 9m88 (real name Tang Yu-Yi), Lin Pin-Tong, and Lai Yu-Fei. Acclaimed cinematographer Yu Jing-Ping serves as director of photography.

Shu Qi had initially planned to shoot Shulan on the River by director Hou Hsiao-Hsien before embarking on her directorial journey. However, the project was postponed due to Hou’s dementia diagnosis, and the team has yet to find a replacement.

Shu Qi, 49, began her career as a model at age 17 before transitioning successfully into acting, becoming one of the leading Chinese-language film stars. She has won two Golden Horse Awards and three Hong Kong Film Awards and worked with renowned directors including Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Stephen Chow, Jiang Wen, and Olivier Assayas.

With over 30 years in the entertainment industry, Shu Qi has maintained her fame and beauty and is a brand ambassador for many international labels. Last year, she served as a juror at the Venice International Film Festival, becoming the third Chinese woman—after Gong Li and Maggie Cheung—to judge in the main competition at all three major European festivals. She was previously on the jury at the Berlin Film Festival in 2008 and Cannes in 2009.

She married actor-director Stephen Fung in 2016. Though financially independent, she took a step back from acting in hopes of having children but has yet to become a mother.

Shu Qi on the set of “Girl.”

“Girl.” Photo: Weibo Shu Qi

In addition to Girl, the Golden Lion competition features 20 films from various countries and regions, directed by a host of acclaimed filmmakers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, notable entries include The Smashing Machine by Benny Safdie, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, and Frankenstein by Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro, which offers a fresh take on the classic horror tale.

Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos returns to Venice with Bugonia, a remake of the 2003 Korean sci-fi cult film Save the Green Planet! by Jang Joon Hwan. Korean director Park Chan Wook presents No Other Choice, starring Lee Byung Hun and Son Ye Jin.

The 82nd Venice Film Festival runs from August 27 to September 9. It opens with La Grazia by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino. This year’s Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement will honor German director Werner Herzog and American actress Kim Novak.

The international jury will be chaired by American director Alexander Payne, alongside actress Fernanda Torres (Brazil), director Mohammad Rasoulof (Iran), Stéphane Brizé (France), Maura Delpero (Italy), Cristian Mungiu (Romania), and actress Zhao Tao (China).

Ask ChatGPT