The Assassin

Saturday 27th February 7:00 PM - Alhambra
The Assassin
Director:Hsiao-Hsien Hou
Cert:12A Year: 2015 Length:105mins
Country:Taiwan Language:Mandarin
Ninth-century China: 10 year-old general's daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised - a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China.

Critics

“The movie is a distillation of the assassin’s life of watchfulness, survival and fear. At other times, it has a dreamlike quality: a floating hallucination. ‘The Assassin’ baffles, but more often it quietly captivates and astonishes”

Peter Bradshaaw

Score

55.77%

Links

F-Rated

Trailer

Osprey Short Film Awards

Now accepting entries for 2026

A selection of previous festival programme covers
View the programme archive



Keswick Film Festival is supported by Film Hub North with National Lottery funding on behalf of the BFI Film Audience Network.



Film Hub North
BFI Film Audience Network

All programme and film details are correct at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.