Vivian Qu facts for kids

Vivian Qu (whose Chinese name is Wen Yan) is a talented Chinese film director, screenwriter, and producer. She is known for her amazing work in movies. She directed the award-winning film Trap Street in 2013.

Vivian Qu also produced several other films. These include Night Train (2007), Knitting (2008), and Black Coal, Thin Ice (2014). Black Coal, Thin Ice won a big award called the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

In 2017, her second movie as a director, Angels Wear White, was shown at the 74th Venice International Film Festival. It also won the best Chinese film award for new directors at the Pingyao International Film Festival. Later, she won the Golden Horse Award for Best Director in Taiwan for this film.

Early Life and Learning

Vivian Qu grew up in Beijing, China. She first studied art design. In the 1990s, she moved to the United States. There, she studied art history and fine arts in New York City.

She realized that filmmaking brought together all her interests. She loved writing, photography, and music. Cinema allowed her to combine them into one art form.

Her Journey in Film

In 2003, Vivian Qu came back to Beijing. She wanted to become a film producer. She also wanted to help independent filmmakers. She saw that many Chinese filmmakers had great ideas. However, they often lacked the money or help to share their films with people around the world.

In 2007, she started working with Chinese film director Diao Yi'Nan. Together, they produced Night Train. This movie is about a lonely prison guard who looks for companionship. The film was shown at the famous Cannes Film Festival.

The next year, she produced Knitting. This was a romantic story told from a woman's point of view. It was based on an old Chinese myth. In 2013, she produced Longing for the Rain. This film tells the story of a woman in an unhappy marriage.

Becoming a Director

While producing films, Vivian Qu also wanted to try directing. Her first movie as a director was Trap Street in 2013. This film is about a young map-maker. He finds his digital maps have been changed after he meets a woman who works for China's intelligence service. The street she works on doesn't officially exist.

Vivian Qu said this film shows how things are changing in modern China. People notice things like the internet and text messages being blocked. Social media sites like Facebook are often hard to access. She also mentioned that people can be held by authorities for small reasons. She finds these changes concerning.

In 2017, Vivian Qu directed her second feature film, Angels Wear White. It was filmed on Hainan Island in China. The story takes place in a hotel where a large statue watches over events. The film follows two teenage girls. One works at the hotel, and the other is a schoolgirl. The movie explores difficult situations these girls face.

Vivian Qu uses this film to speak up for women. She wants to show the challenges women face in Chinese society.

Supporting Women in Film

Vivian Qu also cares deeply about women filmmakers in China. She notes that women often get fewer chances in the film industry. She believes they receive less money for their projects. She also says people sometimes think women can only make romantic movies. This makes it harder for women to succeed.

Another issue she mentions is that investors sometimes want young actors for roles meant for older people. This adds pressure on women producers and actresses.

Vivian Qu's directing style is inspired by French filmmaker Robert Bresson. She often connects the beginning and end of her films. Her movie Angels Wear White won awards at the Pingyao Awards and was shown at the Venice Film Festival in 2017. She also won Best Director at the Golden Horse Film Festival. After this, she decided to focus on directing. She agrees with director Ang Lee that new technologies are important for young filmmakers.

Filmography

As Scriptwriter

• 2004 Letter From an Unknown Woman
• 2013 Trap Street

As Director

• 2013 Trap Street
• 2017 Angels Wear White
• 2025 Girls on Wire (想飞的女孩)

As Producer

• 2014 Black Coal, Thin Ice
• 2013 Chunmeng
• 2008 Knitting
• 2007 Night Train

Awards and Recognition

Vivian Qu has received many awards for her films.

• In 2013, Trap Street was a runner-up for the Dragons & Tigers Award at the 32nd Vancouver International Film Festival. It was also nominated at the 70th Venice International Film Festival.
• In 2014, Trap Street won the Grand Jury Prize at the Independent Film Festival Boston.
• In 2017, Angels Wear White was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 74th Venice International Film Festival. It won the Fei Mu Award for Best Film at the Pingyao International Film Festival. Vivian Qu also won Best Director at the 54th Golden Horse Awards for this film. The movie also won the Golden Orange at the 54th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and the Silver Montgolfiere at the Festival des 3 Continents.
• In 2018, Angels Wear White continued to win awards. It received the FIPRESCI Prize at the 28th Tromsø International Film Festival. It also won Best Screenplay at the 49th Nashville Film Festival. At the 20th RiverRun International Film Festival, it won Best Narrative Feature and the Peter Brunette Award for Best Director. It also won Best Screenplay and Best Director at the 2nd Malaysia International Film Festival. Vivian Qu won Director of the Year at the 9th China Film Director's Guild Awards for Angels Wear White. The film also won the Grand Jury Prize at the 25th Beijing College Student Film Festival.
• In 2025, her film Girls on Wire was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival.