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Nansun Shi

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Nansun Shi
施南生
Image
Shi at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival
Born
Shi Nan-Sun

(1951-08-08)8 August 1951
British Hong Kong
Died13 July 2026(2026-07-13) (aged 74)
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Alma materPolytechnic of North London
Occupations
  • Film producer
  • presenter
  • executive
Known forFilmmaking
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2014)​

Nansun Shi (Chinese: 施南生; born Shi Nan-sun; 8 August 1951 – 13 July 2026) was a Hong Kong film producer and executive, known for her long-time partnership with filmmaker Tsui Hark.[1][2] In 1984, Shi and Tsui founded a new production company called Film Workshop. She also helped establish the Chinese Television Network, as well as working for Hong Kong Telecom, and served as Vice President of the Media Asia Entertainment Group.

Early life

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Shi was born in British Hong Kong on 8 August 1951, into a wealthy family. Her father, originally from Chongming Island, was a businessman who made his fortune in South Africa. After completing Form 4 at Maryknoll Convent School, she was sent to South Africa during the 1967 Hong Kong riots. Unwilling to enter the international school there as her father wished, she went to the UK for further education and earned a bachelor's degree in computer statistics from the Polytechnic of North London.[3][4]

Career

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Upon graduation, Shi returned to Hong Kong, where she began working at a public relations agency. She soon decided to pursue a career in the local television industry. Shi worked at Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), Commercial Television (CTV)—where she met co-worker Tsui Hark—and Rediffusion Television (RTV), where she was promoted to Assistant Controller in Administration and Budget of Channel One in 1981.[5]

After Tsui joined Cinema City in 1981 to shoot All the Wrong Clues (1981), Shi was offered a position as the studio's managing director in November of that year. At Cinema City, Shi became one of the core members of the team called the "Team of Seven". Nicknamed "The Housekeeper" for her managerial skills, she was responsible for various aspects of production, as well as the growth of the studio's overseas distribution. Shi was an associate producer for many of Cinema City's films, such as Till Death Do We Scare [zh] (1982), Aces Go Places II (1983), and Esprit d'amour (1983).[5]

In 1984, Shi and Tsui founded a new production company called Film Workshop. She handled production duties for the new studio, including budgeting and casting.[6] Despite Film Workshop's existence, Shi remained with Cinema City until June 1987.[5] Afterwards, she helped with the development of various television networks in Hong Kong. In 1991, she joined Yu Pun-hoi to establish the Chinese Television Network, and she joined Hong Kong Telecom in 1999 to develop its pay-TV services.[5]

At the invite of Peter Lam, Shi joined Media Asia Entertainment Group in 2002 as vice president.[5][7] She was an executive producer on Infernal Affairs (2002).[8] While she left her position at Media Asia in 2003, she remained as a senior advisor to the company.[9] From 2006 to 2012, Shi served as chairman of the board at Bona Film Group, where she produced various movies like The Great Magician and A Simple Life (both 2011).[5] In 2008, Shi was appointed as the managing director for Irresistible Films, a film fund established by Avex Inc., producer William Kong, and financier Hugh Simon.[10] She also continued to work as a producer under the Film Workshop banner, overseeing some of Tsui's films like Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010).[5] Shi briefly joined Phoenix Television in 2012 as a host for a political commentary programme.[5] In 2017, she was invited to join the producers branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[11]

Personal life and death

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In 1977, Shi met Tsui Hark while they both worked at Commercial Television; they began dating a year later. In 1984, they founded a film studio, where Shi was responsible for financing, distribution, and promotion. The couple co-produced over a hundred films. In 1993, rumors circulated about Tsui's affair with Sally Yeh, allegedly causing a temporary split with Shi. In 1996, Tsui and Shi married in Beverly Hills, California. In 2008, Tsui was reported to have been living with Seven Swords (2005) actress Chen Jiajia in Beijing. When asked about their status of marriage, Shi then responded, "Let me give you a standard answer. I've been saying this for years: what happens between two people is private and doesn't concern a third party."[12] By 2011, Tsui began dating his assistant, Lele, whom he had met online during the filming of Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011).[13][14] Shi announced their divorce in 2014, adding that Tsui and Lele had been together for some time.[15][16]

On 9 July 2026, Shi was hospitalised in Hong Kong.[17] She died four days later on 13 July, from multiple organ failure complicated by cancer at the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, at the age of 74.[a][18][19] At the time of her death, she was also experiencing complications with her immune system.[19][20]

Honours and awards

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Shi served as a jury member at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival in 2007 and the 64th Cannes Film Festival in 2011. She also received numerous international awards, including being named an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture in 2013, the Best Independent Producer Award at the Locarno Film Festival in 2014,[21] the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Far East Film Festival in 2015, and the Marie Claire Asia Star Award Special Achievement Prize at the Busan International Film Festival in the same year. In 2017, she was awarded the Berlinale Camera Award at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.[5] In 2025, Shi received the Lifetime Achievement Award alongside Tsui Hark at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards.[22]

Notes

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  1. ↑ Many sources mislabel her age as "75".

References

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  1. ↑ Lanuque, Arnauld (15 October 2003). "Interview with 1st grade HK film producer Nansun Shi". Hong Kong Cinemagic. hkcinemagic.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  2. ↑ "Nansun Shi". IMDb. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  3. ↑ "【淑梅足跡】令香港電影再展光芒 – 香港文匯報". paper.wenweipo.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  4. ↑ Chung, Winnie (9 October 2012). "Nansun Shi: 'It's Not About Inferiority or Superiority—It's About How Good You Are At What You Do'". Style. South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 25 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "施南生 (1951–2026)" [Shi Nansun (1951–2026)] (PDF). Hong Kong Film Archive (in Chinese). Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Lim, Ruey Yan (14 July 2026). "Nansun Shi, HK Film Producer and Former Wife of Director Tsui Hark, Dies Aged 75". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Chau, Sherman (22 August 2001). "Chung Reassigned at Media Asia Group". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 15 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Sun, Andrew (6 January 2003). "Infernal Affairs". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 1 March 2003. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Wong, Silvia (16 March 2003). "Nansun Shi to Advise New Chinese Video Distribution Joint Venture". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Shackleton, Liz (5 October 2008). "Irresistible Films Outlines Strategy, New Management Team". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 14 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (28 June 2017). "Academy Invites Record 774 New Members: 39 Percent Female and 30 Percent People of Color". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  12. ↑ "徐克22岁小女友曝光 出演《七剑》受力捧(图)_cctv.com提供". news.cctv.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "徐克為新歡放棄「最好的女人」 曾與樂壇天后傳緋聞傳激嬲施南生嗌分手". Sing Tao Canada 星島加拿大 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 16 March 2023. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "徐克被曝半年前结束30年婚姻 剧组人员默认-搜狐娱乐". yule.sohu.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  15. ↑ 自由時報電子報 (4 July 2014). "徐克施南生終結18年婚 – 自由娛樂". 自由時報電子報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "徐克高调约会年轻女助理 前妻：最近已离婚(图)-中新网". www.chinanews.com.cn. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  17. ↑ "Veteran film producer Nansun Shi reportedly hospitalized as friends visit". The Standard. 9 July 2026. Archived from the original on 10 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "施南生離世｜施南生曾赴非洲讀中學 跟前夫徐克被譽「影壇神鵰俠侶」". Ming Pao Weekly (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  19. 1 2 Shackleton, Liz (13 July 2026). "Nansun Shi Dies: Film Workshop Founder & Infernal Affairs Producer Was 75". Deadline. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (13 July 2026). "Shi Nansun, Hong Kong Producer Behind Infernal Affairs, Dies at 75". Variety. Archived from the original on 13 July 2026. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
  21. ↑ Cremin, Stephen (29 April 2014). "Nansun Shi to receive producer award in Locarno". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  22. ↑ "金像獎2025︱終身成就奬頒予徐克施南生 爾冬陞讚揚多年勇於突破". HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 11 April 2025. Archived from the original on 14 April 2025. Retrieved 12 April 2025.

Further reading

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