1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 8% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Forbidden City
"Vengeance is her destiny."
2025 2h 18m IT
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 358
ActionDramaRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
The son of an indebted restaurant owner joins a foreign girl in search of her sister. Together, they’ll have to fight side by side against the most ruthless members of the Roman criminal underworld.
“Vengeance is her destiny.”
Cast
Liu Yaxi
Mei
Enrico Borello
Marcello
Marco Giallini
Annibale
Sabrina Ferilli
Lorena
Chunyu Shanshan
Wang
Luca Zingaretti
Alfredo
Tomal Islam
Santi
Miki Yeung Oi-Gan
Yun
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Gabriele Mainetti
- Writers
- Stefano Bises, Stefano Bises, Davide Serino
- Languages
- English, Italian, Mandarin
- Countries
- Italy
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released last year.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Italian, Mandarin.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Directed by Gabriele Mainetti, shot by Paolo Carnera. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Fabio Amurri. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Francesco Di Stefano shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Liu Yaxi and Enrico Borello and Marco Giallini carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Vengeance is her destiny.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Gabriele Mainetti directs. Paolo Carnera behind the camera. Fabio Amurri scores. Francesco Di Stefano cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in English, Italian, Mandarin.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 8% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 2Released last year.
- 3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, Italian, Mandarin.
- 4Directed by Gabriele Mainetti, shot by Paolo Carnera. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Fabio Amurri. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Francesco Di Stefano shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Liu Yaxi and Enrico Borello and Marco Giallini carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Vengeance is her destiny.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt27766538 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Paolo Carnera
- Original score
- Fabio Amurri
- Editing
- Francesco Di Stefano
- Production design
- Andrea Castorina
- Costume design
- Susanna Mastroianni
- Stunt coordinator
- Trayan Milenov-Troy
- Runtime
- 138 min · 2h 18m
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $18,218,260
- Box office
- $1,457,292
- Return
- 8% of budget
- Original language
- IT
- Certification (US)
- NR
Also by
Gabriele Mainetti
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Wildside
IT
Goon Films
IT
PiperFilm
IT
Key crew
- ProducerMario Gianani
- ProducerLorenzo Gangarossa
- ProducerSonia Rovai
- Executive ProducerClaudio Falconi
- Executive ProducerSaverio Giuseppe Guarascio
- Executive ProducerMandella Quilici
- Executive ProducerGianluca Mizzi
- Unit ManagerAlessia Sinistro
- Line ProducerAndrea Verolo
- Line ProducerMaurizio Gallozzi
- First Assistant DirectorTiziano Grasso
- CastingTeresa Razzauti
- CastingValentina Flint
- Production DesignAndrea Castorina
- Set DecorationMarco Martucci
- SoundAngelo Bonanni
- Costume DesignSusanna Mastroianni
- EditorFrancesco Di Stefano
- EditorFrancesca Addonizio
- VFX SupervisorStefano Leoni
- Camera OperatorMatteo Carlesimo
- Special Effects SupervisorMaurizio Corridori
- Sound SupervisorMirko Perri
- Sound SupervisorGiulio Previ
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- kung fu
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2025-09-20· Fantastic Fest
- Digital2026-03-17NR
Also known as
International titles
- Kung Fu all'amatricianaIT
- 紫禁城CN
- La Città ProibitaIT
- Forbidden CityAU
- 禁忌之城CN
- The Forbidden CityAU
- The Forbidden CityCA
- The Forbidden CityGB
- The Forbidden CityUS
