‘Girls on Wire’ Examines Sisterhood and Survival at Berlin Film Fest

Chinese auteur Vivian Qu‘s latest drama “Girls on Wire” received an emotional response at its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, with audiences both laughing and weeping during the screening.

An intimate portrait of two cousins navigating personal ambition and family obligations against the backdrop of China’s rapid social transformation, the drama, which is in the festival’s main competition, weaves together themes of independence, generational change, and the cost of pursuing one’s dreams.

The film stars Liu Haocun, who broke out in Zhang Yimou’s “One Second” and earned the best newcomer Award at the Asian Film Awards, alongside Wen Qi, who previously collaborated with Qu on “Angels Wear White.” Their casting brings together two of China’s most promising young talents, with Wen winning the Golden Horse Award winner for best supporting actress at age 14 for “The Bold, the Corrupt, and the Beautiful.”

Set against the world of film stunt work, “Girls on Wire” explores the complex relationship between two cousins from China’s single-child generation. “When you had no siblings, the closest companion would be a cousin,” Qu explains. “During my research of this generation, the first generation of business owners in China in the 80s and 90s, I really noticed these children. When their parents were too busy to properly take care of them, the only person they could rely on was their cousin.”

The story follows Fang Di, who leaves home to become a stunt performer to clear family debts, and her cousin Tian Tian, who remains behind dealing with her father’s addiction before being forced to flee local mobsters. “It’s a complex relationship,” Qu says. “They rely on each other, but at the same time, the family situation makes it very difficult for them to hold on to each other all the time. Each woman as individual, I think, they’re warriors, their fighters, they each do their best…