Queens of the Qing Dynasty

Last updated
Queens of the Qing Dynasty
Directed by Ashley McKenzie
Written byAshley McKenzie
Produced byBritt Kerr
Nelson McDonald
Ashley McKenzie
StarringSarah Walker
Ziyin Zheng
CinematographyScott Moore
Edited byAshley McKenzie
Scott Moore
Music byCecile Believe
Yu Su
Animation byCyril W. Chen
Production
company
Hi-Vis Film
Distributed by
  • Medium Density Fibreboard Films (MDFF) (Canada)
  • Factory 25 (United States)
Release dates
  • February 15, 2022 (2022-02-15)(Berlinale)
  • March 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)(Canada)
  • May 5, 2023 (2023-05-05)(United States)
Running time
122 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Queens of the Qing Dynasty is a Canadian experimental drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Ashley McKenzie. It premiered on February 15, 2022, as a part of the Encounters program at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, and had its North American premiere in the Wavelengths program of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. The film was later released in Canada by Medium Density Fibreboard Films (MDFF) on March 3, 2023, and by Factory 25 in the United States on May 5.

Contents

Plot

The film follows Star, a troubled teenager who has been hospitalized following a suicide attempt, and An, a genderqueer volunteer at the hospital whose companionship and friendship helps Star to feel less isolated as they bond over their shared uncertainties about their futures.

Cast

Production

At the time of production, both Sarah Walker and Ziyin Zheng were first-time film actors; Walker had previously studied dance and was classically trained as a soprano, and Zheng had experience in theater. [1] Walker's character, Star, was based on a teenager who auditioned for a role in McKenzie's prior film Werewolf , but was, according to McKenzie, ultimately unable to act in front of a camera. [2] [3] However, McKenzie later became an advocate for the teenager as she struggled to find support within the Canadian healthcare system, and subsequently became fascinated with her speech patterns. [3] [4] To prepare for the role of Star, Walker spent time with this teenager, who had by then befriended McKenzie. [5] According to McKenzie, the teenager has seen the film and compared the viewing experience to an "acid trip". [3]

McKenzie also built Ziyin Zheng's character, An, around their own personality, having met Zheng after they became neighbors during the production of Werewolf. McKenzie has said that Zheng expressed a desire to play a "sassy bitch" in one of her films, which she then incorporated into the drafts of Queens of the Qing Dynasty. Additionally, McKenzie hired a script consultant to better speak to the character's experiences as a Chinese-Canadian immigrant. [4]

McKenzie has stated that her foremost points of inspiration while crafting the film didn't revolve around specific directors, but rather individual on-screen performances, such as those in the Mike Leigh films Career Girls and Secrets and Lies , as well as Gena Rowlands's lead performance in the John Cassavetes film Love Streams , and Anna Faris's performance in the Gregg Araki stoner comedy Smiley Face . [3] [4]

Queens of the Qing Dynasty was shot entirely on location in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. [4]

Release

Queens of the Qing Dynasty saw its world premiere on February 15, 2022 at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival in the Encounters section, a competitive subcategory for experimental works. [6] The subsequently appeared in the Wavelengths Program of the 47th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for its North American premiere. [7] The film was acquired for Canadian distribution by Medium Density Fibreboard Films (MDFF) in September 2022, and received international distribution by Factory 25 in early 2023. Queens of the Qing Dynasty was released in Toronto theaters on March 3, 2023, and in New York theaters on May 5. [8] Mubi released the film on its streaming platform on November 15, a double bill with McKenzie's previous film Werewolf. [9] [10]

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Queens of the Qing Dynasty currently holds an approval rating of 88% based on 17 reviews. [11] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 78 out of 100 based on 8 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [12]

Writing for The New York Times , Beatrice Loayza described the film as "wonderfully bizarre" and praised Sarah Walker's lead performance, stating, "Walker, captivatingly raw, makes Star both charming and frustrating in her aloofness." [13] In a review published in The Playlist after the film's TIFF premiere, Mark Asch also lauded Walker's performance, stating, "McKenzie and cinematographer Scott Moore’s scrutiny of naturalistic and amateur performers keeps this from being a sentimental film. Sarah Walker is great in an unself-conscious way, foggily conveying Star’s blinking on-off struggle to bridge the gap between her inner monologue and the outer world. She speaks in a thick voice that sounds effortful and takes in the world with watchful, silent eyes. It’s the rare performance that’s magnetic in its passivity." [14]

Giving the film three out of five stars for The Guardian , Cath Clarke's review was more mixed, ultimately concluding, "Some might be bored or alienated by the lack of action – the camera often seems to arrive in the aftermath of an event. I found its mood hypnotic but unsettling, like having my nerves rubbed up the wrong way." [15] Similarly, B. Panther wrote for Paste magazine, "[A] script playing in subtlety, disaffection and emotional distance, coupled with this abstract score, can sometimes make the film feel like it isn’t going anywhere during its two hours. We are with these characters for a brief but intense time in their lives. The changes these characters go through are so internal, so minute, that they’re difficult to register. It sometimes feels like we’re stuck in a scene study, uncertain if we’re supposed to be building to something bigger." [16]

Awards

The film was shortlisted for the Directors Guild of Canada's 2022 Jean-Marc Vallée DGC Discovery Award. [17] It won three awards at the 2022 FIN Atlantic Film Festival, for Best Atlantic Feature, Best Atlantic Director and the Joan Orenstein & David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting (Walker). [18] It was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Achievement in Costume Design. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto International Film Festival</span> Annual film festival held in Toronto, Canada

The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, founded in 1976 and taking place each September. It is also a permanent destination for film culture operating out of the TIFF Lightbox cultural centre, located in Downtown Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Polley</span> Canadian actress, film director and screenwriter

Sarah Ellen Polley is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, political activist and retired actress. She first garnered attention as a child actress for her role as Ramona Quimby in the television series Ramona, based on Beverly Cleary's books. This subsequently led to her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series Road to Avonlea (1990–1996). She has starred in many feature films, including The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Exotica (1994), The Sweet Hereafter (1997), Guinevere (1999), Go (1999), The Weight of Water (2000), No Such Thing (2001), My Life Without Me (2003), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Splice (2009), and Mr. Nobody (2009).

New Waterford is an urban community in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality of Nova Scotia, Canada.

The Atlantic International Film Festival is a major international film festival held annually in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada since 1980. AIFF is the largest Canadian film festival east of Montreal, regularly premiering the region's top films of the year, while bringing the best films of the fall festival circuit to Atlantic Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Toronto International Film Festival</span> 37th annual film festival held in Toronto, Canada

The 37th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 6 and September 16, 2012. TIFF announced the films that were accepted on August 21, 2012. On its 37th edition the TIFF included a 289 feature films and 83 short films. Directed by Rian Johnson, Looper was selected as the opening film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Rose</span> Canadian actress (b. 1994)

Chloe Rose is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence when she portrayed Katie Matlin in the long-running teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation, from 2011 to 2013.

The Jay Scott Prize is an annual film award presented by the Toronto Film Critics Association, in conjunction with commercial sponsor Stella Artois, to an emerging talent in the Canadian film industry.

<i>Werewolf</i> (2016 film) 2016 film

Werewolf is a 2016 Canadian drama film directed by Ashley McKenzie and starring Andrew Gillis and Bhreagh MacNeil. It marks McKenzie's feature film directorial debut. The film premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, and subsequently received numerous accolades, including several Canadian Screen Award nominations, and the $100,000 Toronto Film Critics Association prize for best Canadian film of the year in 2017.

Bhreagh MacNeil is a Canadian actress. She is most noted for her performance in the 2016 film Werewolf, for which she garnered a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Actress at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards. She also won the award for Best Actress in a Canadian Film at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards 2016, and at the 2016 Atlantic Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Gillis</span> Canadian actor and musician

Andrew Gillis is a Canadian actor and musician. He is most noted for his performance in the 2016 film Werewolf, for which he garnered a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Actor at the 5th Canadian Screen Awards. He also won the award for Best Actor at the 2016 Atlantic Film Festival, and was a nominee for Best Actor in a Canadian Film at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards 2016.

Ashley McKenzie is a Canadian director, screenwriter, and editor. She is known for her feature film directorial debut Werewolf (2016), which won numerous accolades, including the $100,000 Toronto Film Critics Association prize for best Canadian film of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kazik Radwanski</span> Canadian filmmaker (born 1985)

Kazik Radwanski is a Canadian film director and screenwriter. His early short films have been cited as part of the New Canadian Cinema movement. He made his feature film directorial debut in 2012 with Tower. His second feature film, How Heavy This Hammer (2015), screened at film festivals around the world and received critical acclaim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomasin McKenzie</span> New Zealand actress

Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie is a New Zealand actress. After a minor role in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), she rose to critical prominence for playing a young girl living in isolation in Debra Granik's drama film Leave No Trace (2018), winning the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance.

<i>Matthias & Maxime</i> 2019 film

Matthias & Maxime is a 2019 Canadian drama film written, directed and edited by Xavier Dolan. It stars Dolan, Gabriel D'Almeida Freitas, Pier-Luc Funk, Samuel Gauthier, Antoine Pilon, Adib Alkhalidey, Anne Dorval, Micheline Bernard, Marilyn Castonguay and Catherine Brunet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophy Romvari</span> Canadian actress and director

Sophy Romvari is a Canadian film director, writer, and actress. She attracted widespread acclaim for her short film Still Processing (2020). The film premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and was later released online by Mubi.

<i>All My Puny Sorrows</i> (film) 2021 Canadian film by Michael McGowan

All My Puny Sorrows is a 2021 Canadian drama film written, produced, and directed by Michael McGowan serving as an adaptation of the 2014 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews. It stars Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon as two Mennonite sisters who leave their religious lives behind. Amybeth McNulty, Mare Winningham, Donal Logue, and Aly Mawji also star in supporting roles, with Mongrel Media set to distribute the film. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2021, and was released in theaters in Canada on April 15, 2022. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levelfilm</span> Canadian Film Distribution Company

Levelfilm, stylized as levelFILM, is a Canadian film distribution company based in Toronto, Ontario. The company was founded by David Hudakoc and Michael Baker in 2013, and later acquired two other Canadian distribution houses: Search Engine Films in 2018 and KinoSmith in 2021. It has released more than 200 titles, with a focus on independent Canadian films.

<i>Fitting In</i> 2023 film by Molly McGlynn

Fitting In is a 2023 Canadian coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Molly McGlynn. It stars Maddie Ziegler, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Djouliet Amara, and Emily Hampshire. The film was titled Bloody Hell in its first showing at SXSW. Several additional film festival showings were presented in 2023. The film won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival. It was released in theatres in February 2024.

<i>Matt and Mara</i> 2024 film by Kazik Radwanski

Matt and Mara is a 2024 Canadian drama film, written and directed by Kazik Radwanski. The film stars Deragh Campbell as Mara, a university professor in a troubled marriage to Samir, who unexpectedly reconnects with Matt, a man from her past.

References

  1. ↑ Erickson, Steve (2023-05-03). "Ashley McKenzie on Queens of the Qing Dynasty, Asexuality, and Staying Focused as a Filmmaker". The Film Stage. Retrieved 2023-11-26.
  2. ↑ Caitlin Quinlan, "Ashley McKenzie on Her Romantic Second Feature ‘Queens of the Qing Dynasty’". Variety , February 14, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Rapold, Nicolas (2022-10-12). "Director Ashley McKenzie Draws Inspiration From Anna Faris in Smiley Face". W Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Garcia, Lawrence (2022-02-25). "Glitch in the System: Ashley McKenzie Discusses "Queens of the Qing Dynasty"". MUBI. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  5. ↑ Saito, Stephen (2022-09-29). "NYFF 2022 Interview: Ashley McKenzie, Sarah Walker and Ziyin Zheng on Carrying On a Conversation with "Queens of the Qing Dynasty"". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  6. ↑ Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich and Eric Kohn, "Berlin 2022: The 10 Most Exciting Films at This Year’s Festival". IndieWire , February 9, 2022.
  7. ↑ Jeremy Kay, "Daniel Radcliffe as "Weird Al" Yankovic leads TIFF Midnight Madness; Discovery, Wavelength sections also unveiled". Screen Daily , August 4, 2022.
  8. ↑ Sippell, Margeaux (2023-02-23). "Queens of the Qing Dynasty Is an Ode to Queer Friendship (Exclusive Trailer)". www.moviemaker.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  9. ↑ Raup, Jordan (2023-10-25). "MUBI's November 2023 Lineup Features Christian Petzold, Hayao Miyazaki, John Cassavetes & More" . Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  10. ↑ "The New Auteurs: Ashley McKenzie". MUBI. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  11. ↑ "Queens of the Qing Dynasty". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  12. ↑ "Queens of the Qing Dynasty". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  13. ↑ Loayza, Beatrice (2023-05-04). "'Queens of the Qing Dynasty' Review: Secret Soul Mates". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  14. ↑ Asch, Mark (2022-09-22). "'Queens of the Qing Dynasty' Review: A Rich Story of Friendship [TIFF]". The Playlist. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  15. ↑ Clarke, Cath (2023-11-14). "Queens of the Qing Dynasty review – unsettling but rewarding study of an unlikely friendship". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  16. ↑ Panther, B. (2023-11-17). "Queens of the Qing Dynasty Is an Ornate Meditation on Queerness and Disability". Paste . Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  17. ↑ Etan Vlessing, "DGC Awards: ‘Nightmare Alley,’ ‘Crimes of the Future,’ ‘Night Raiders’ Lead Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter , September 23, 2022.
  18. ↑ Stephen Cooke, "Queens of the Qing Dynasty, Bernie Langille among Atlantic International Film Festival award winners". SaltWire Network , September 22, 2022.
  19. ↑ "2023 Canadian Screen Awards Nominees". Academy.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.