Official synopsis
From Gabriele Mainetti, director of They Call Me Jeeg Robot and Freaks Out, comes the action-packed tale of two strangers seeking the truth and vengeance. Mei arrives in Rome looking for her missing sister and, along the way, meets Marcello, who is desperate to find his father. Together, they will fight their way through the Roman underworld. Filled with lightning-paced martial arts, The Forbidden City is an action epic not to be missed.
Review
The Forbidden City (Italy, 2025) transplants Asian martial arts action to Rome, as adult Mei (Yaxi Liu), the youngest of two daughters from a family that secretly broke China’s one-child policy, goes to Rome to search for her older sister Yun (Ye Hajin). Thankfully, Mei learned kung fu from their father quite well, as she must navigate both the Chinese and Italian violent underworlds there. She meets family-owned–restaurant chef Marcello (Enrico Borello), and the two form an unlikely bond that will lead them both to look for her sister and his missing father.
Director Gabriele Mainetti, who cowrote the screenplay with Stefano Bises and Davide Serino, has crafted a gorgeous looking, highly entertaining feature boasting sumptuous cinematography by Paolo Carnera, exciting fight sequences, wonderful set design, and fabulous performances from its sizable cast.
The Forbidden City, which captured the Best International Feature: Bronze prize at the 2025 edition of Fantasia International Film Festival, is a stunning film that cinephiles of all stripes should find to be quite a rewarding experience.
The Forbidden City, from Well Go USA, debuted on Digital March 17 and will debut on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ & DVD on April 21.
