Directed by Midi Z
Written by Ke-Xi Wu, Midi Z
Starring Ke-Xi Wu, Vivian Sung, Kimi Hsia
Unrated
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
In virtual cinemas on March 26, VOD April 2

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

Content Warning: Violence against women, violence against animals

First off, it is worth mentioning that Nina Wu is a hard film to watch. It was only made harder due to the shootings that happened in Atlanta on March 16th 2021. For that reason, it also felt like an important film to watch. At times like this, raising up Asian voices is very important. While watching films, reading books, and education ourselves on these topics is essential, there is also more we can do. So it felt important to mention that folks should find ways to support and donate to Asian communities and organizations. There are plenty of resources on the internet including this Time article that acknowledges ways to help combat Anti-Asian violence.

Nina Wu is a Taiwanese film directed by Midi Z. It stars Ke-Xi Wu as the title character and along with Midi Z, she is a writer on the film. The story follows Nina as she tries to make it as an actress. After working in commercials and short films she is finally offered an opportunity to star in a full length film. Nina will do whatever she can to make it in this industry that is riddled with abuse and sexism. Once she comes out the other side and gives a stellar performance she is on the road to fame. However, the stress of the movie world and her own mental health struggles begin to way on her. Slowly Nina becomes detached from reality and has little support to bring her back. 

The story is told in a way that also makes it hard for the audience to discern what is real and what is imagined. By combining dream sequences and flashbacks it comes difficult to figure out where we are in place and time, which is an interesting way to empathize with Nina. As things become harder for Nina, they also become harder for us and it is hard to say what is real once the end credits begin to roll. It felt frustrating at times but also makes sense with how complex the film is and how much it is trying to tackle. It is a harsh criticism of the film industry itself and how it treats women. Nina often feels invisible, the people around her (mostly men) usually talk around her and not to her. At the same time there is incredible pressure on her to do everything exactly right. The emotional and even physical abuse she faces at the hands of the director draws many lines to the actual stories we have heard about famous directors breaking down their actresses. Even though this treatment can potentially bring about the desired performance, is it ever really worth it?

It’s criticisms and its story of a woman potentially going mad brought two films to mind; Black Swan and The Assistant. Nina Wu is somehow able to evoke the realism of the film industry as well as demonstrate the distorted reality of a troubled mind. Early on in the film before Nina gets her big role we see that one of the ways she makes money is by being a cam girl. She puts on a sexy outfit and eats dumplings on a livestream in which men can send her money. By showing this, it brings up a lot of emotions and questions around how one of these careers is seen as more legitimate than the other. While people can comment that she is selling herself for money, she is also doing so as an actress, without the abuse and sexual harassment that comes along with the “legitimate career”.

While there is much that I can relate to being a white woman in America, there are also important cultural differences that the film tries to emphasize. The role of Nina’s family in the film is essential to understanding the pressures she faces trying to be a success, especially when her parents suffer from poverty, the physical stress of being old, and hereditary mental health issues. There is clearly much she must live up to which is difficult especially as we learn that Nina is hiding an essential part of herself from them and the rest of the world. It is a heartbreaking story that feels all too real in the world we live in. 

Ke-Xi Wu carries this film. She gives a powerhouse performance as Nina. There is so much emotion that she has to invoke. It would be difficult to not sympathize with this character and all she goes through. There is so much sadness and despair that comes through even in moments that feel like they could be comical. She gets down and barks like a dog in the film and there is absolutely nothing funny to be found in that moment. She is such a talent and hopefully we will see her in more leading performances. The film also looks incredible. There are so many shots that felt like pieces of art. Also the colors in the film really stand out. There are so many scenes that are drenched in red light, red costuming, or set pieces. It evokes so many of the complicated emotions that they are trying to bring forth in the story; passion, anger, romance, and lust. 

This film played at the 2019 Philadelphia FIlm Festival and it was one that I was sad I had missed out on. Even though I ultimately saw this at an incredibly difficult time in our history I think it made me appreciate it all the more. While there is so much that I felt I could relate to it was also important to recognize the differences in the experiences of an Asian woman in this context. While there is a lot of similar subject material in other films, most of them are directed by and starring white directors. Representation is important as well as stories from perspectives that are different than our own. I hope people decide to check out Nina Wu and think on some of these complexities.