Feature Film
Mulan
2020
Filmed In
Auckland · Canterbury
Towns & Areas
Kumeu Film Studios, Auckland · Ahuriri Valley, near Omarama · Clay Cliffs and Tasman Valley, near Aoraki / Mount Cook
The Story
Disney's visually spectacular, live-action reimagining of the classic Chinese legend. A fearless young woman disguises herself as a man to enlist in the Imperial Army, steps up to save her ailing father, and becomes one of China's greatest warriors.
The Stars
Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, and Jet Li. This cast carries a story shot at a scale that leaned heavily on the South Island's vast, open high country.
Behind the Lens
Niki Caro returned home to direct this massive production. Caro, herself a New Zealand director, brought a distinct visual sensibility shaped by her earlier work on Whale Rider.
Why NZ?
Caro leveraged the epic scale of the South Island to stand in for ancient China. The spectacular battle sequences were filmed against the dramatic, clay cliffs of the Ahuriri Valley and the expansive, snow-capped vistas of the Tasman District. The scale of the South Island's high country made it possible to shoot vast battle sequences without any need for a single digital backdrop.
On Set
Nearly 1,000 candidates were seen before Yifei Liu was cast, and she undertook three months of daily sword training to prepare. Jet Li has spoken about the role in terms of responsibility, saying sharing Chinese culture with a global audience mattered deeply to him personally.
Legacy
Disney's live-action reimagining of its own 1998 animated film drew on the centuries-old Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, and released during the pandemic as one of the studio's first major streaming-first titles.
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