Daughter of the Nile 1987
Hou Hsiao-hsien's tender yet unflinching drama *Daughter of the Nile (1987)* captures the quiet desperation of Lin Hsiao-yang, a young woman juggling night school, a grueling job at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and the crushing responsibility of holding her fractured family together.
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Daughter of the Nile (1987) about?
The film follows Lin Hsiao-yang, a young woman working at KFC and attending night school, who shoulders the weight of caring for her siblings after their father leaves and their mother is absent. As her brothers and sisters slip into crime to make ends meet, Lin must confront the limits of her own resilience while holding onto the hope of a better future.
Who directed Daughter of the Nile?
Hou Hsiao-hsien directed *Daughter of the Nile*, known for his poetic realism and deep focus on Taiwanese society.
Who stars in Daughter of the Nile?
The cast features Yang Lin in the lead role, alongside Jack Kao, Li Tian-Lu, Tsui Fu-Sheng, and Hsin Shu-Fen.
Is Daughter of the Nile (1987) worth watching?
While unrated on IMDb, *Daughter of the Nile* is a poignant character study that rewards viewers with its emotional depth and Hou Hsiao-hsien's masterful storytelling. Fans of slow-burn dramas and slice-of-life films will find its portrayal of familial struggle both compelling and quietly devastating.
How long is Daughter of the Nile?
The runtime of *Daughter of the Nile* is 91 minutes.
🎥 Trailer
About Daughter of the Nile (1987) — A Taiwanese family drama of sacrifice and survival
Hou Hsiao-hsien's tender yet unflinching drama *Daughter of the Nile (1987)* captures the quiet desperation of Lin Hsiao-yang, a young woman juggling night school, a grueling job at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and the crushing responsibility of holding her fractured family together. With their father absent and their mother long gone, Lin's younger siblings drift toward petty crime, leaving her to navigate the fragile balance between survival and moral compromise. Shot with Hou's signature poetic realism, the film paints a vivid portrait of Taiwan in the late 1980s, where economic pressures and social change ripple through everyday lives.
The atmosphere is one of quiet resilience, blending the mundane rhythms of fast-food service with the simmering tension of familial strain. Lin's journey unfolds against a backdrop of neon-lit streets and crowded classrooms, where hope flickers in the form of education but is constantly overshadowed by hardship. Hou crafts a deeply human story about sacrifice, where love is both a burden and the only currency that matters.