Midi Z: Don’t Label ‘Nina Wu’ as a #MeToo Movie

Sonia Kil

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“Before you watch ‘Nina Wu,’ do not have the mindset that you are about to watch a film about the #MeToo movement,” said “Nina Wu” director Midi Z. “Because if you do, you will be disappointed.”

At a talk session held during the Singapore International Film Festival on Sunday (Nov. 24), the Taiwan-based Burmese director said that many Hollywood critics had understood the film as part of the #MeToo movement, and as a response to the Harvey Weinstein scandal in Hollywood. But those critics had been unfulfilled after watching the film and had criticized it for its lukewarmness.

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“But it is true that the current, and final, version of the script as well as was some of the characters in the film were inspired by the #MeToo Movement,” said lead actress Wu Ke-xi, who wrote the screenplay.

Featuring an actress who is humiliated as she achieves her breakthrough role and flees to a rural area to escape bullying, “Nina Wu” premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section in May. It screened as a special presentation of the Singapore film festival on Sunday, ahead of a North American release set for 2020.

While Midi Z emphasized that ‘film is not real,’ Wu explained that with the outbreak of the #MeToo movement she had looked back on her own past experiences in the industry and put them together to write the script.

“Writing the script helped me release some of the grievances I had felt in my past. Portraying the main character, again, let me unleash some of the emotional obstacles I had felt before,” said Wu.

Midi Z looked on the bright side and added that since “Nina Wu,” it has become much easier for him to tap on new projects.

“Although sometimes the film might make people feel uncomfortable, it is getting very good responses and has sold pretty well, compared to my previous films,” said the filmmaker. “It used to be very difficult for me to find producers. I already have my next project going. If all things go smoothly, filming will begin next year,” he told Variety.

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