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Ann Hu

Shadow Magic

Director Ann Hu Composer Lida Zhang Cast Yufei Xing, Yu Xia, Jared Harris
Edition 2000
116' - 2000 - Drama, Romance - Dialogue: Mandarin, English
Chinese-born, American-based director Ann Hu debuts with this epic historical drama about the introduction of motion pictures to China during the beginning of the 20th century. The film is based on a true story of Liu Jung, a Peking photographer who struggles to start a film industry in China in spite of the strong anti-Western sentiment of the time. At the film's outset, Liu Jung is scolded by his autocratic boss Master Ren for his obsession with Western gizmos after he brings home a junked Victrola. During a photo session with China's most famous opera star, Lord Tan, Liu Jung runs into Raymond Wallace, a mysterious Brit who is hell-bent on introducing movies (called ‘shadow magic’) to the Emperor. As soon as Liu Jung sees his first frame, he is hooked on the medium and committed to Wallace's scheme. (Jonathan Crow)

Image gallery

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Credits

Directors

Ann Hu

Composers

Lida Zhang

Cast

Yufei Xing, Yu Xia, Jared Harris

Scenario

Ann Hu, Chang-Lun Chen, Dan Huang, Ann Hu, Huaizhuo Liu, Robert McAndrew, Kate Raisz, Louyi Tang, Shiqiang Zuo

Director of Photography

Nancy Schreiber

Editors

John Gilroy, Keith Reamer

Producers

Ann Hu

More info

Dialogue

Mandarin, English

Countries of production

Taiwan, China, Germany

Year

2000