The Road to Mandalay (2016 film)

Last updated

The Road to Mandalay
The Road to Mandalay (2016 film).jpg
Film poster
Chinese 再見瓦城
Hanyu Pinyin Zài Jiàn Wǎ Chéng
Directed by Midi Z
Written byMidi Z
Produced byPatrick Mao Huang
Midi Z
Starring Kai Ko
Wu Ke-xi
CinematographyTom Fan
Edited byMatthieu Laclau
Music by Lim Giong
Distributed byVie Vision Pictures
Release dates
  • 5 September 2016 (2016-09-05)(Venice)
  • 9 December 2016 (2016-12-09)(Taiwan)
Running time
108 minutes
CountriesTaiwan
Myanmar
France
Germany
LanguagesSouthwestern Mandarin
Burmese
Thai
Box office NT$7.1 million [1]

The Road to Mandalay is a 2016 internationally co-produced drama film directed by Midi Z. [2] The film premiered at the 73rd edition of the Venice Film Festival in the Venice Days section, in which it was awarded the Fedeora Award for Best Film. [3] It was also screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. [4]

Contents

Plot

A young Burmese girl, Lien Ching (Wu Ke-xi), smuggles herself in a truck heading for Bangkok, Thailand, aiming to pursue a better life, and eventually even go to Taiwan for better opportunities. In Bangkok she meets A-kuo (Kai Ko), a boy from the same Burmese hometown Lashio, who was less ambitious but pragmatic and had a crush on her.

Lacking proper identification, Liang struggles to find legitimate work and gets arrested as an illegal immigrant by the Thai authorities. She is fined and has to rely on A-kuo's help. Lien Ching becomes desperate to obtain legal paperwork, even if it is fraudulent.

After several failed attempts on the papers and losing money, she finally accepts a solution offered by a drug dealer who requires a huge sum of money. In order to collect the amount, Lien Ching prostitutes herself. This act enrages A-kuo, who has been supporting her.

Lien Ching makes enough money to gain passage into Taiwan, while A-kuo remains left behind. One night shortly before her planned departure, A-kuo jealously murders Lien Ching, and then himself.

Cast

Awards and nominations

Award ceremonyCategoryRecipientsResultRef
53rd Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film The Road to MandalayNominated [5]
Best Director Midi ZNominated
Best Leading Actor Kai Ko Nominated
Best Leading Actress Wu Ke-xi Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Midi ZNominated
Best Art DirectionAkekarat HomlaorNominated
36th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan The Road to MandalayNominated [6]
19th Taipei Film Awards Press AwardWon [7]
73rd Venice International Film Festival Fedeora Award for Best FilmWon [8]
Youth Film Handbook Awards Male Actor of the Year Kai Ko Won [9]
58th Asia-Pacific Film Festival Best FilmThe Road to MandalayNominated
Best DirectorMidi ZWon
Best Actor Kai Ko Nominated
Best Actress Wu Ke-xi Nominated
Best ScreenplayMidi ZNominated
Best CinematographyTom FanNominated
Best EditingMatthieu LaclauNominated
Best Art DirectionAkekarat HomlaorNominated

References

  1. "TFI-國家電影中心 Taiwan Film Institute - 電影票房資訊-每月票房公告". www.tfi.org.tw. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  2. "Midi Z's 'Road To Mandalay' secures German co-producer". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  3. Vittoria Scarpa (9 September 2016). "The Venice Days Award goes to The War Show". CinEuropa. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  4. "Toronto unveils City To City, World Cinema, Masters line-ups". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  5. "台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival". www.goldenhorse.org.tw. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  6. Frater, Patrick (8 February 2017). "Indies, Newcomers Dominate Hong Kong Film Award Nominations" . Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  7. "2017 Taipei Film Festival - News - Latest News - 2017List of Taipei Film Awards Winners" . Retrieved 16 July 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. autori, Giornate degli. "Full list of prizes awarded to Venice Days films". venice-days.com. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  9. "柯震東再見瓦城 青年電影手冊男演員獎 - 娛樂 - 中央社即時新聞 CNA NEWS". 20 March 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.