The Assassin (2015) Nie yin niang (original title)

Popularity:

Up 16% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Hsiao-Hsien Hou

Writers:

Cheng Ah (screenplay)
T'ien-wen Chu (screenwriter)
(more)

Release Date:

9 March 2016 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An assassin accepts a dangerous mission to kill a political leader in seventh-century China.

Plot Keywords:

China | Love | Goat | Horse | Arrow

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 35 wins & 43 nominations

Cast

Chen Chang	...	Tian Ji'an
Qi Shu	...	Nie Yinniang
Yun Zhou	...	Lady Tian
Satoshi Tsumabuki	...	The Mirror Polisher
Dahong Ni	...	Nie Feng
Mei Yong	...	Yinniang' Mother
Zhen Yu Lei	...	Tien Xing (Yinniang's Uncle)
Nikki Hsin-Ying Hsieh	...	Huji (as Hsieh Hsin-Ying)
Ethan Juan	...	Xia Jing (as Juan Ching-Tian)
Fang-yi Sheu	...	Princess Jiacheng / Princess-Nun Jiaxin
Jacques Picoux	...	Lady Tian's Teacher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shao-Huai Chang	...	Chiang Nu
Fang Mei	...	Yinniang' Grandmother
Chun Shih

Directed by
Hsiao-Hsien Hou

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Cheng Ah		screenplay (as Zhong Acheng)
T'ien-wen Chu		screenwriter
Hsiao-Hsien Hou		screenplay (as Hsiao-hsien Hou)
Hai-Meng Hsieh		screenplay
Xing Pei		short story

Produced by
Yi-Qi Chen	....	executive producer (as Chen Yiqi)
Hong Tat Cheung	....	administrative producer
Tai-Chiang Gou	....	executive producer
Hsiao-Hsien Hou	....	executive producer (as Hsiao-hsien Hou)
Hsiao-Hsien Hou	....	producer (as Hsiao-hsien Hou)
Wen-Ying Huang	....	producer
Peter Lam	....	executive producer
Ching-Song Liao	....	producer (as Liao Ching-Sung)
Kuen Lin	....	executive producer
Yue Ren	....	co-producer
Stephen Shin	....	co-producer
Stanley Tong	....	administrative producer
Tzu-Hsien Tung	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Giong Lim

Cinematography by
Ping Bin Lee

Film Editing by
Chih-Chia Huang		(edited by)
Ching-Song Liao		(editing director) (as Liao Ching-Sung)

Production Design by
Wen-Ying Huang

Art Direction by
Ding-Yang Weng

Costume Design by
Wen-Ying Huang		(as Hwarng Wern-Ying)

Art Department
Erica Wei Ju Chang	....	art assistant

Sound Department
Shih Yi Chu	....	sound
Duu-Chih Tu	....	sound
Shu-yao Wu	....	sound

Special Effects by
Ardi Lee	....	special effects

Other crew
Edward May	....	miscellanious crew
Charles-Edouard Renault	....	legal counsel
Wei Tung	....	martial arts consultant (as Tung Wai Stephen)

Production Companies

• Central Motion Pictures
• China Dream Film Culture Industry
• Media Asia Films
• Sil-Metropole Organisation
• SpotFilms
• Zhejiang Huace Film & TV

Distributors

• Ad Vitam Distribution (2016) (France) (theatrical)
• Caramel Films (2015) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Delphi Filmverleih Produktion (2016) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Kuusan Kino (2015) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Lumière (2016) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Lumière (2016) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Seven Films - Spentzos Film (2015) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2015) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Shochiku Company (2015) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Well Go USA Entertainment (2015) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2015) (Switzerland) (all media)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2015) (Thailand) (all media)
• King Power (2015) (Vietnam) (all media)
• Midas Filmes (2016) (Portugal) (all media)
• NDMantarraya (2016) (Mexico) (all media)

Also Known As:

"Nie yin niang" - Taiwan (original title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Taiwan | China | Hong Kong | France

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Certification:

Argentina:ATP | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Ireland:12A | Japan:G | Netherlands:12 | Norway:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 (2016) | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 | UK:12A

Filming Locations:

Wudang, Hubei Province, China

Company:

Central Motion Pictures

Trivia:

Director Hou told the New York Times in an interview published on 10/07/2015 that he would break the fight scene into smaller parts as the actors weren't skilled fighters. He would also let the actors start fighting when they chose rather than directing them to fight.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The EE British Academy Film Awards (2016) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Rohan / Duc de Rohan

Masterpiece

I was completely enraptured by "The Assassin", one of the best films I have seen in decades. It is a near unrivaled masterpiece, a visual achievement on par with "Barry Lyndon", "In the Mood for Love," "Days of Heaven" and "Blade Runner". Each composition is mesmerizing. I was so enthralled by what I was seeing on the screen, my attention was held as if I was watching a thriller. I wanted the film to never end, because every new scene was a joy, a revelation, and a blessing to behold. For those who enjoy the work of Tarkovsky, Malick, Mizoguchi, Ozu, Wong Kar Wai, etc, you are in for a rare treat. The sound design was superb, sucking me deeper into HHH's dreamlike, moving painting. Films like this come along once a decade, so enjoy and savor it.