The Forbidden City (5 Stars)

This is the first film in the Stuttgart Nights Festival.

I've been having trouble getting to the cinema for the last two months, but I'm glad to say I'll be able to attend most films at the 2025 Stuttgart Nights Festival, which will run for four days this year. It always begins with a special film, and "The Forbidden City" is incredible. It tells the tale of Mei, a Chinese woman searching for her sister in the Chinese quarter in Rome. She's caught up in a battle between crooked restaurant owners. The fight scenes are spectacular. The actress Yaxi Liu reminds me of Jackie Chan in her ability to pick up any objects around her and use them as weapons. I'm astounded that this is only her second film, and her first in a leading role. She has a big future ahead of her.

Apart from the action, it's a love story. Mei falls in love with a naive young Italian cook, even though they don't speak one another's language. The film's dialogue is evenly divided between Italian and Chinese. It's the best new film I've seen in the cinema this year.