Well Go USA Nabs Hou Hsiao Hsien's THE ASSASSIN Ahead Of World Premiere At Cannes

"We have a proud history of supporting films from Taiwan, and Hou Hsiao-Hsien is a legend," said Pfardrescher. "It's like someone made a wish list, and we got everything we could have hoped for: Iconic director, stellar cast, and this exciting, moving story - we're very excited to bring this to North America."

Set in ninth century China, the movie centers on Nie Yinniang, the 10-year-old daughter of a decorated general, who is abducted by a nun who trains her in the martial arts. She is transformed into an exceptional assassin (Shu Qi), charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt government officials. After a failed mission, she returns to the land of her birth with orders to kill her betrothed husband-to-be (Chang Chen): a cousin who now commands the largest military force in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories, and her long-repressed feelings. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves, or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.