# Nansun Shi

Nansun Shi (Chinese: 施南生; born Shi Nan-Sun on 8 August 1951) is a Hong Kong film producer and executive, known for her long-time partnership with director Tsui Hark.

## Early life

Shi was born in Hong Kong to a wealthy family. Her father, originally from Chongming Island, was a businessman who made his fortune in South Africa. After completing Form 4 at Maryknoll Convent School, she was sent to South Africa during the 1967 Hong Kong riots. Unwilling to enter the international school there as her father wished, she went to the UK for further education and earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Statistics from the Polytechnic of North London.

## Career

Upon returning to Hong Kong, Shi joined the PR firm Michael Stevenson Limited before transitioning into the television industry. She worked at Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), Commercial Television (CTV), where she met co-worker Tsui Hark, and Rediffusion Television (RTV), where she was promoted to Assistant Controller in Administration and Budget of Channel One in 1981.
In 1981, Tsui joined Cinema City to shoot All the Wrong Clues (1981), and in November of the same year, Shi was invited to become the executive director, marking her entrée into the film industry. She became a key member of Cinema City's "Seven-Person Team" and was affectionately known as "Housekeeper," recognized for her management skills. She oversaw both internal and external company affairs, including overall development strategy, providing production advice, expanding overseas distribution, and attending film festivals to promote international sales. During this period, she planned and produced a series of successful films, including Till Death Do We Scare (1982), Aces Go Places II (1983), The Trail (1983), and Merry Christmas (1984).
In 1984, she and Tsui Hark founded a film studio together, but she remained with Cinema City until June 1987. Afterward, she was involved in the development of television networks, including joining Yu Pun-hoi in 1991 to establish the Chinese Television Network (now CTi TV). In 1999, she joined Hong Kong Telecom to develop its pay-TV services. In 2002, she was invited by Peter Lam to join Media Asia as Vice President and was one of the producers of Infernal Affairs (2002). From 2006 to 2012, she served as the Chairman of the Board of Bona Film Group, overseeing films such as Overheard 2 (2011), The Great Magician (2011), and A Simple Life (2011). In addition, she has produced the Detective Dee franchise and The Thousand Faces of Dunjia (2017). In 2012, she briefly joined Phoenix TV as a host for a political commentary program.

## Personal life

In 1977, Shi met Tsui Hark while they both worked at Commercial Television; they began dating a year later. In 1984, they founded a film studio, where Shi was responsible for financing, distribution, and promotion. The couple co-produced over a hundred films. In 1993, rumors circulated about Tsui's affair with Sally Yeh, allegedly causing a temporary split with Shi. In 1996, Tsui and Shi married in Beverly Hills, California. In 2008, Tsui was reported to have been living with Seven Swords (2005) actress Chen Jiajia in Beijing. When asked about their status of marriage, Shi then responded, "Let me give you a standard answer. I’ve been saying this for years: what happens between two people is private and doesn’t concern a third party." By 2011, Tsui began dating his assistant, Lele, whom he had met online during the filming of Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011). Shi announced their divorce in 2014, adding that Tsui and Lele had been together for some time.

## Honors and awards

Shi has been invited to serve as a jury member at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2007 and the Cannes Film Festival in 2011. She has also received numerous international awards, including being named an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Ministry of Culture in 2013, the Best Independent Producer Award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 2014, the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Udine Far East Film Festival in 2015, and the Marie Claire Asia Star Award Special Achievement Prize at the Busan International Film Festival in the same year. In 2017, she was awarded the Berlinale Camera Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.