Chinese filmmaker Guan Tian and producer Vivienne Bao have released Guan’s debut “Daughter,” a thriller co-produced by Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and France in Busan’s Asian project market.
The original project was inspired during the production process of Guan’s Venice’s short film, “The Poison Cat,” which was chosen by Venice, and was the production process for the mythical thriller about women’s revenge. The spine of the story – the bond between two generations – is inspired by Guan’s mother and grandmother. Throughout the film, Guan wants to explore intergenerational bonds, including struggle and pain.
“Daughter” tells the story of Gui, a 16-year-old who is forced to get pregnant due to her mother Yishui being infertile. As more and more creepy changes occur, all pregnant women in the village are being forced to abort. However, the GUI reveals an intimate connection with evil spirits. This embodies Yishui’s deepest pain about childbirth.
“Evil spirits embody intergenerational reproductive trauma. I don’t think these struggles are endemic to China. They resonate with other Asian countries and more,” Guan said. “Through this story, I want to stand up to the inherited burden of guilt, love and res passed down over generations, and explore how politics and tradition invade our bodies and love, creating confusion and despair.”
Guan’s longtime collaborator, producer Vivienne Bao said, “Both “Daughter” and his previous short films share a fusion of mythology and supernatural. The setting was otherworldly, but I felt that the characters and environment were clearly grounded.
Bao added that the main subject of the film is the female reproductive struggle and the pressure they experience for childbirth. “The general thread is the erosion of women’s autonomy over their own body,” she said. “With that in mind, when we seek fundraising and partnerships, our priorities are not just whether they understand their historical background, but also whether they have a deep sensitivity to women’s struggle for physical autonomy.”
The film’s budget is set at $1 million and is in the funding phase. The main goal of APM is to find the perfect shooting location with a mysterious, lush rainforest with a magical realism atmosphere, as the team aims to film in June 2026.
Producers alongside Bao include Ding Ningyuan, Patrick Mao Huang and Alexa Rivero.
