Shu Qi, previously known as an actress, signs with Girl A sensitive work about domestic violence and the bond between mother and daughter. Presented in competition at Cannes, this Taiwanese story from the 1980s resonates strangely with current events.
The story follows Lin Hsiao-lee, a Taiwanese girl, in the late 1980s. She is trying to escape a destructive family environment. Her mother, Chuan, played by the singer 9m88, works in a hair salon and makes handmade bouquets. She is constantly hostile towards her daughter: she yells at her, punishes her unfairly, and subjects her to constant frustration, while her younger sister is spared. Her father, Chiang, played by Roy Wu, is even worse. He spends his evenings drinking and often comes home drunk and violent. Hsiao-lee is afraid when he comes into their room, and now that she is becoming a teenager, there are fears for her safety.
For the little girl, however, this is the only normality. She has never known anything else. Things change when she befriends Li-li, her new classmate. Li-li comes from a more affluent background and a much more permissive family. This friendship pushes Hsiao-lee to rebel and yearn for a quieter life. In parallel, the film also recounts the equally difficult childhood of another little girl, whom we assume to be Chuan herself a few years earlier. This subtle bond between mother and daughter, marked by the same suffering and the same patriarchal domination, will ultimately bring them closer.
For her directorial debut, Shu Qi delivers a powerful work on a sadly universal theme. Whether women live in Europe, the United States, or Taiwan, their dreams often clash with the same male domination. The filmmaker depicts the violence inflicted upon women, but also how it is passed down from generation to generation. She nevertheless chooses to give her heroine a chance, brought to life by the luminous face of young Bai Xiao-Ying, and by meticulous work with light and color. With her cinematographer Yu Jing-Pin, Shu Qi contrasts warm and vibrant exteriors—bathed in sunlight by day, illuminated by neon lights by night—with the cold and dreary atmosphere of the family home. The only exception is the tent where Hsiao-lee takes refuge, a small splash of color in the face of her father's violence.
This visual success owes much to Shu Qi's background. As an actress, she often worked with Hou Hsiao-hsien, and was able to closely observe his sense of framing and lighting. It was he, in fact, who encouraged her to step behind the camera, a project that took eleven years to come to fruition.
Her experience as an actress is also evident in her direction of the young actors Bai Xiao-Ying and Audrey Lin, as well as 9m88 and Roy Wu, all of whom deliver excellent performances. They all embody the film's message: resistance, resilience, and the desire to break free from imposed patterns, whether familial, social, or political.
While the film primarily addresses male domination, it also carries a more political message. Shu Qi, who works in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China, never explicitly addresses this issue. But the chosen setting is undoubtedly not accidental. The story takes place in 1988, a pivotal moment for Taiwan, which was emerging from decades of martial law and beginning its democratic transition. In the current context, marked by tensions with China, this tale of emancipation from brutal authority takes on a particular significance, almost like a call to resist tyrants.
With Girl , Shu Qi delivers a simple, authentic first film. His foray behind the camera is, without a doubt, a real success.
Girl
In theaters August 5, 2026
