Daughter of the Nile

press release:

DAUGHTER OF THE NILE (NI LUO HE NU ER)

Taiwan | 1987 | DCP | 91 min. | Mandarin with English subtitles

Director: Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Cast: Lin Yang, Jack Kao, Fan Yang

Newly restored in 4K, this pivotal rarity by Taiwanese master Hou Hsiao-hsien (The Assassin) marks the transition between two of the filmmaker’s major periods: the “Coming of Age” trilogy that culminated with Dust in the Wind, and the internationally celebrated “Taiwanese History” trilogy that began with A City of Sadness. Pop star Lin Yang plays a young woman struggling to keep her family together in contemporary Taipei. As they drift towards a life of crime, she finds refuge in Japanese manga comics.

New Taiwanese Restorations:In January and February, we present two decidedly different movies from Taiwan, each directed by an established master of cinema. Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Daughter of the Nile is an intimate contemporary family story that marked a transition between Hou’s “coming of age” trilogy and his period films. Legend of the Mountain is a deliriously entertaining epic of the supernatural from Wuxia expert King Hu. Both movies will show in gorgeous new 4K digital restorations.

All Cinematheque screenings are free and open to the public.