Chinese distributor CMC Pictures has taken the worldwide rights — excluding China — to Hong Kong director Andrew Lau’s next feature, The Dumpling Queen. The company says it will release the film theatrically in North America, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand later this year following its Chinese bow. CMC is offering the rights to all other territories at Hong Kong’s Filmart this week.
The Dumpling Queen is a sweeping, inspirational biopic based on the real-life story of Zang Jianhe, founder of the Wanchai Ferry dumpling brand and known locally as the “Dumpling Queen.” The story follows how Zhang went from being a struggling single mom on the streets of Hong Kong to building a modest dumpling stand into a major food company that was eventually sold for millions to Pillsbury. The film also provides a portrait of Hong Kong life through its ups and downs over the decades.
The film stars Ma Li (Yolo, Post Truth) in the title role, with the cast rounded out by Kara Wai, Zhu Yawen, Wong Cho-Lam, Fiona Sit and Michael Tse, among others. The film’s art department, led by Lau’s longtime collaborator Sung Pong Choo, is said to be going to great lengths to recreate classic scenes of Hong Kong life in the 1970s and 80s, such as bustling street markets and the city’s iconic former neon signage.
The Dumpling Queen marks a return to Hong Kong filmmaking for Lau, who remains best known internationally for co-directing the crime classic Infernal Affairs with Alan Mak. In recent years, Lau has worked primarily in the mainland Chinese industry on patriotic projects. His last two features, The Captain (2019) and Chinese Doctors (2021), were huge box-office hits in China, earning $411 million and $195 million, respectively.
The Dumpling Queen is produced by Foshan Chinese Film Co., Shanghai Chinese Film Co., and Alibaba Pictures, among others.
