Hooligan Sparrow

2016 1h 24m EN

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 13

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The danger is palpable as intrepid young filmmaker Nanfu Wang follows maverick activist Ye Haiyan (a.k.a Hooligan Sparrow) and her band of colleagues to Hainan Province in southern China to protest the case of six elementary school girls who were sexually abused by their principal. Marked as enemies of the state, the activists are under constant government surveillance and face interrogation, harassment, and imprisonment. Sparrow, who gained notoriety with her advocacy work for sex workers’ rights, continues to champion girls’ and women’s rights and arms herself with the power and reach of social media.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Ye Haiyan
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Nanfu Wang
Writers: Nanfu Wang, Mark Monroe
Languages: Mandarin, English
Countries: China, United States of America

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 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

84 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 10 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Mandarin, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: China, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Nanfu Wang, shot by Nanfu Wang. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Chris Ruggiero. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Nanfu Wang shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Nanfu Wang directs. Nanfu Wang behind the camera. Chris Ruggiero scores. Nanfu Wang cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in China, United States of America. Dialogue in Mandarin, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 10 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Mandarin, English.
4International production across 2 countries: China, United States of America.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Nanfu Wang, shot by Nanfu Wang. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Chris Ruggiero. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor Nanfu Wang shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9IMDB entry: tt4079902 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 13 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.