18th New York Asian Film Festival

Jun 28 - Jul 14, 2019

FilmsGuestsTalks & EventsSchedule & Tickets

Photo: © Dadi Films

North American Premiere

Wushu Orphan

武林孤儿

In the late 90’s, wet behind the ears Lu Youhong takes a job teaching Chinese at a remote martial arts academy. His many students could care less for academics except for Zhang Cuishan, who excels at schoolwork but hates martial arts, and is bullied for it. As Lu tries to form a helpful bond with Zhang, he also develops a crush on the school’s pretty young doctor, while learning inadvertent life lessons from the principal’s quirky son. Huang Huang’s evocative feature debut is a beautifully poetic paean to the bittersweet pangs of growing up at all stages of life.

Director: Huang Huang
Cast: Jin Jingcheng, Hou Yunxiao, Liu Zhihan, Shi Zhi, Ma Zhongshan, Wang Shuilin
Languages: Mandarin with English subtitles
2018; 121 min.; DCP

SCHEDULE:

Sunday June 30, 8:30pm
Film at Lincoln Center

Director Huang Huang in attendance (Introduction and Q&A)

Huang Huang
黄璜

Huang Huang graduated from the prestigious Beijing Film Academy in 2008 and later went on to get his MFA in directing there. His short No Country for Chicken, about martial arts schools and anti-intellectuals in China, won a prize at the Locarno International Film Festival. Wushu Orphan is his feature debut, made a decade after developing the short into a more complete and mature film, drawn from his own experience questioning traditional teaching methods. It won the 1st Youth Director Support Program prize, organized by the China Film Directors' Guild. Shot on location at a 2-minute walk from the Shaolin Temple with actual students from martial arts schools, the film also won the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Asian Future section, an award that is given to promising new directors.