4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Chinese star Zhang Ziyi transforms from screen icon to visionary director in Swimming 100 Meters From the Coast
Zhang Ziyi, a long-celebrated Chinese star, is making a bold and daring move by entering the film industry as a director. In recent years, the award-winning actress has quietly but decisively changed her concentration to filmmaking, focusing her talent into producing and directing. Her first major move was Poem, a visually stunning section in the anthology film My Country, My Parents.
The film was a box office smash, grossing 1.4 billion yuan and propelling Zhang to new heights of fame. She won top honors, including Best Actress and Best Director at the 14th Macau International Movie Festival and Most Popular New Director at the 2022 Film China Movie Channel Media Awards, establishing her status as a powerful force behind the camera.
A new vision: Swimming 100 Meters From the Coast
The actress is embarking on her next creative phase with Swimming 100 Meters From the Coast, her first full-length directing movie. The film represents a significant step forward for the acclaimed actor, who is making her full move from behind the camera to storytelling.
The film portrays the deeply moving narrative of a young woman who, after losing her grandmother, discovers a hidden legacy: a decades-long journey throughout Anhui, Fujian, and Taiwan in pursuit of the grandmother's long-lost father. The grandmother, with the help of strangers, fulfills her father's deathbed desire, a tremendous deed that saves her from eternal sorrow. Set to be released in 2027, the picture is already generating a lot of buzz among fans and cinema enthusiasts eager to see Zhang's full-length directorial debut.
The ultimate trio: Zhang Ziyi, Vicky Chen, and Li Yuan
Zhang Ziyi will not only direct but also appear in front of the camera. She's assembled a powerful crew for the film, including rising talent Vicky Chen and longtime screenwriting collaborator Li Yuan. The three, dubbed "The Ultimate Team" by fans and critics, is raising anticipation for the upcoming film.
Vicky Chen, a former child prodigy, is now establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with. She will be 22 years old next month and has over a decade of acting experience, having made history at the age of 14 by winning Best Supporting Actress at both the Golden Horse Awards and the Taipei Film Festival for The Bold, the Corrupt, and the Beautiful.
This year alone, she was named among the top ten actresses in box office performance and made a stir at the Berlin Film Festival, indicating her rapidly expanding international acclaim.
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