Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture

The Road to Fame

Dir. Hao WU. 2013. China. 80 min.
With English subtitles.

A unique coming-of-age story with Chinese characteristics, The Road to Fame chronicles the staging of the American musical Fame — China's first official collaboration with Broadway — by the senior class of the Central Academy of Drama. Raised in one-child families, these ambitious youngsters aspire to become tomorrow's megastars as they are about to graduate from their prestigious institution, which counts among its alumni international acting sensations such as Gong Li (Raise the Red Lantern), Zhang Ziyi (The Grandmaster), and Jiang Wen (Let the Bullets Fly). By documenting the eight-month staging process in which the students compete for roles and struggle with pressure from family, The Road To Fame explores the hopes and dreams of China's new generation and the harshness of a cutthroat reality.

Followed by Q&A with director Hao Wu and Jasper Grant, Broadway musical director and one of the subjects in this film, moderated by La Frances Hui, Asia Society Film Curator. Grant has musically directed over 70 productions from New York to Shanghai; national tours: The Color Purple, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Altar Boyz, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and Fame.

Watch the Q&A on video here. 

Grand Jury Award, LA Asian Pacific FilmFest 2014

Best Editing Award, LA Asian Pacific FilmFest 2014

Nominated for Best Documentary, San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival 2014.

"...an extraordinary film...a faithful representation of the moment we inhabit in China" — The New Yorker

"...an intimate and empathetic portrait of China's post-'80s generation." — The Atlantic

"Hao Wu's film sensitively observes a changed China." — The Guardian

Video: Watch a trailer for The Road to Fame (2 min., 20 sec.):

Part of Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture.