China’s selection for last year’s Academy Awards for best foreign language film, The Nightingale, is a heartwarming story set in China that follows a semi-estranged grandfather and spoiled granddaughter on a rough journey to the grandfather’s native village. Captivating cinematography by Sun Ming, showcases the beautiful landscapes within hidden villages in the unfamiliar rural parts of China. The Nightingale will soon be available on various platforms including DVD, VOD, Netflix, cruise lines, airlines, CD soundtrack, and more.
Directed by Philippe Muyl, and starring A-list actors Xiaoran Li and Han Qin, The Nightingale was inspired by Muyl’s highly successful French feature, The Butterfly, a visually translucent award-winning film about the heartwarming friendship between a wizened old man and an eight-year-old girl. In The Nightingale , protagonist Zhu Zhi Gen has made a promise to his late wife. To fulfill that promise, he’s preparing to return with her pet caged bird (the companion of her final years) to her native village and set it free. He’d planned to make the trip alone, but his granddaughter, Ren Xing, a little girl from Beijing, is forced to go with him when her parents’ marriage is in turmoil. During this journey to the outer reaches of traditional China and through magnificent Guang Xi landscapes, the duo that seemingly has nothing in common opens up to each other, sharing memories and adventures.
The New York Times stated that the film, “reminds us of what we are missing,” and the San Francisco Chronicle said, “Everything is top notch…[Baotian] Li’s quiet strength as the grandfather grounds the film in a gentle, simple and appealing way.”
Showcased at more than 30 film festivals around the world, The Nightingale has garnered awards from the River Run International Film Festival (USA) – Winner: Best French Film; the Zlin Film Festival (Czech Republic) – Winner: Best Film for Children; the Buster Film Festival (Denmark) – Winner: Best Feature; the Wine Country Film Festival (USA) – Winner: Best International Film; and the Minsk International Film Festival (Belarus) – Winner: Best Adult Performance in a Children’s Movie for [Lead Actor] Li Bao Tan.
The film will be available for purchase on iTunes starting February 26 and available for streaming on Netflix and presale will be on February 2nd. DVD purchase will start on April 6. Several of these platforms will include special features such as behind-the-scenes and making-of clips.
