The Receptionist
2016 Taiwanese film
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The Receptionist (Chinese: 接線員) is a 2016 drama film directed by London-based Taiwanese director Jenny Lu, starring Teresa Daley and Chen Shiang-chyi. Inspired by a true story, the film follows the lives of Asian migrant women who had arrived in London in hopes of a better life but end up taking jobs in an illegal massage parlor to survive.[4] The film premiered at the Golden Horse Film Festival on 20 November 2016.[5]
Yeh Yi-wen
Jimmy Huang
Chiou Zi-ning
Peter J Kirby
Chen Shiang-chyi
| The Receptionist | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jenny Lu |
| Written by | Jenny Lu Yeh Yi-wen |
| Produced by | Li Ya-mei Jimmy Huang Chiou Zi-ning Peter J Kirby |
| Starring | Teresa Daley Chen Shiang-chyi |
| Cinematography | Gareth Munden |
| Edited by | Hoping Chen |
| Music by | Luming Lu |
Production companies | Uncanny Films Dark Horse Image |
| Distributed by | Mirror Stage Films (Taiwan) |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 100 minutes |
| Countries | Taiwan United Kingdom |
| Languages | Mandarin English Taiwanese |
| Budget | £300,000[1] |
| Box office | NT$3 million (Taiwan)[2][3] |
Premise
Tina is a Taiwanese graduate living in London with her British student architect boyfriend. Struggling to find work during the 2008 financial crisis, Tina takes a job as a receptionist at an illegal massage parlour. As she slowly gets to know the women who work there, she is forced to question her values and morals.
Cast
- Teresa Daley as Tina
- Chen Shiang-chyi as Sasa
- Amanda Fan as Mei
- Josh Whitehouse as Frank
- Sophie Gopsill as Lily
- Teng Shuang as Anna
Production
The film received funding from Taiwan's Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, as well as through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.[6]
Release
The film has been an official selection at the Edinburgh International Film Festival,[7] the Raindance Film Festival,[8] the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival[9] the Durban International Film Festival,[10] the Milan and Salento Film Festivals and the 40th Asian American International Film Festival in New York City.[11]
Soundtrack
Promotional song
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Real World 真實世界" | Ball, Jie | Ball | 04:19 |
Reception
Critical response
The Receptionist (Jie Xian Yuan) has received an 88% rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian lauded it as "a valuable, intelligent debut."[12] Elizabeth Kerr in The Hollywood Reporter gave it more mixed reviews.[13]
Accolades
| Award | Category | Recipients | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54th Golden Horse Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Chen Shiang-chyi | Nominated |
| Milan Film Festival | Best Feature Film | The Receptionist | Nominated |
| Salento Film Festival | Best Feature Film | The Receptionist | Nominated |
| 40th AAIFF | Emerging Director Award | Jenny Lu | Won |