Renowned Chinese film director Jia Zhangku will direct his next film, “Mamma Dunhuang,” reuniting with French production and sales giant MK2 Films.
The latter is spearheaded by Nathanael and Elisha Kermitz, who are co-producing “Mamma Dunhuang” in partnership with the director’s Chinese production company, Xstream Pictures. Filming is scheduled to begin this winter.
“Mamma Dunhuan” is the story of a mother who lived most of her life in Dunhuang, a historic city in western China. With the help of artificial intelligence, she embarks on a journey from western China to eastern China.
The film stars Qiao Tao, winner of the David di Donatello Award for Best Actress, and Liao Fan, winner of the Berlin International Film Festival Silver Bear Award for Best Actor. Both actors previously co-starred with Zhang Ke in the 2018 feature film Ash Is Purest White.
mk2 Films CEO Nathanael Kermitz said: “With Mamma Dunfang, he takes us deep into China and into uncharted cinematic territory.”
Zhang Ke is one of China’s leading writers, and his works have been highly acclaimed at film festivals and other fields. He is attending Cannes this year with his short film “Torino Shadow,” which will be screened at Cannes Classic in collaboration with MK2 Films. His relationship with MK2 Films spans nearly 20 years and includes multiple Cannes nominations, including “I Wish I Knew,” which screened in “Un Certain Regard.” A Touch of Sin, a series of Palme d’Or nominees, won the Best Original Screenplay award. “The Mountains May Leave,” “Ashes Are the Whitest,” and “Caught by the Tide.” The director returned to the Croisette this year with the short film “Turin Shadow.” This film was screened at Cannes Classic and is directed by MK2 FIlms.
MK2 Films will submit 11 films to the official selection, including 5 films in competition: Marie Kreutzer’s “Gentle Monster”, Lea Misias’ “Birthday Party”, Andrei Zvyagintsev’s “Minotaur”, Ira Sachs’ “The Man I Love”, and Koji Fukada’s “Nagi Note”.
