Exclusive: Veteran Film Producer Ellen Eliasoph on THE SHADOW’S EDGE
LAPost / Los Angeles, CA (August 27, 2025) – Last Friday, at the launch of “Bright Future of Humanity” held at Warner Bros.’ Steven J. Ross Theater in Burbank, an event co-hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and New York Film Academy (NYFA), I had the chance to meet with producer Ellen Eliasoph again.
Eliasoph—known in China as 艾秋兴—is one of the most respected film executives and producers bridging East and West. A Yale College and Yale Law School graduate fluent in Mandarin, she became the first Hollywood executive stationed in China when she founded Warner Bros. China in 1994. Sheimported The Fugitive as the first Hollywood blockbuster released in China and spearheaded the China releases of The Matrix and Harry Potter series. As head of local production for Warner Bros. China and subsequently Village Roadshow Asia, she produced and distributed landmark titles includingStephen Chow’s Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons(2013), Jackie Chan’s Bleeding Steel (2017), and Zhang Yimou’s Shadow (2018). The first production from her independent film studio Starry Dome Productions, Robin Wang’s Neither Donkey Nor Horse (2024), won a Student Oscar award.
On August 26, following a screening of writer/director Larry Yang’s THE SHADOW’S EDGE (捕风追影) in Los Angeles, Eliasoph sat down for an exclusive interview with LAPost.us.
Ellen Eliasoph (Photo by: Tanxuan Shi/lapost)
Ellen Eliasoph on THE SHADOW’S EDGE
“Rather than approaching THE SHADOW’S EDGE as a film critic or audience member being interviewed, please allow me, as a film producer who has been working in the Chinese film industry for thirty years, to talk about my experience of watching the film, which was one of the most exciting, entertaining and, at the same time, touching films I have seen in years.”
She explained that her connection to the film is both personal and professional—rooted in her long-standing collaborations with writer-director Larry Yang (杨子) producer Victoria Hon(韩肯), as well as actors Wang Ziyi（王紫逸and Lang Yueting （郎月婷）, with whom she worked on the award-winning film Mountain Cry (喊山) (2015) which was written and directed by Larry Yang, produced by Eliasoph and Hon, and shot entirely on location in the mountains of southern Shanxi Province, as well as her work with Jackie Chan and his team on the sci-fi comedy Bleeding Steel (机器之血)(2017), a film for which Eliasoph arranged for Jackie to do something never before – and never since – done: a hand-to-hand combat scene shot on the roof of the Sydney Opera House
“From the minute THE SHADOW’S EDGE began, I was immersed in a vibrant, kinetic world that felt epic, fresh and ground-breaking, yet at the same time, deeply familiar. I was back on set with Larry, Victoria , Ziyi and Yueting; then I was in the studio where Jackie and his action team were designing and rehearsing their fight scenes and planning for the complexities of the Sydney Opera House rooftop shoot. I felt like I was at home among friends, enjoying the special buzz that only filmmaking can bring.
She highlighted the film’s unique creative DNA: a fusion of Hong Kong’s iconic action style and creativity with Mainland China’s cinematic scale and emotional storytelling.
“The genius of the film lies in something unprecedented and unique: it weaves together seamlessly all the strengths of the Hong Kong and Mainland film industries, creating something excitingly new while preserving what the world loves about Chinese films—their style, pacing, explosive energy, visualspectacle, incredible action choreography, and sincere performances ‘from the heart.’”
A Film that Brings Generations Together
Eliasoph enthusiastically prai
She particularly loved how the film positioned “old school” detectives Huang Dezhong (Chan) and Fu Longsheng (Leung) in the new world of AI-driven comprehensive digitalsurveillance, symbolizing the balance between tradition and modernity.
“This outstanding film shows us how we can achieve wonders through cutting-edge technology, while never abandoning the values and traditions of the past—or our essential, indestructible humanity.”
Cultural Bridges and Personal Milestones
The screening carried an extra layer of meaning for Eliasoph. That very day, THE SHADOW’S EDGE climbed to a Douban score of 8.2, surpassing that of Larry Yang’s previous highest-ranked work, Mountain Cry—the film she co-produced with Victoria Hon.
“It was also the anniversary of another memory: it was exactly nine years ago when Jackie climbed onto the roof of the Sydney Opera House for Bleeding Steel. Watching THE SHADOW’S EDGE transported me back to those incredible collaborations. And I felt again the pulse and savored the drama of Nicolas Errera’s music, the same composer Larry brought on for Mountain Cry.”
Eliasoph also pointed to the influence of Johnnie To, a filmmaker she deeply admires. Eye in the Sky (2007), which To produced, was the original inspiration for THE SHADOW’S EDGE.
“I have followed Johnnie’s career ever since we invited him to direct Turn Left, Turn Right when I was Managing Director of Warner Bros. China. To see Larry reimagine a story born of To’s creative lineage is deeply meaningful.”
Final Thoughts
For Eliasoph, THE SHADOW’S EDGE is not just another crime thriller—it’s a cinematic milestone.
“It’s a film that excites, entertains, and moves audiences, while carrying the legacy of Chinese cinema forward into the future. And it proves that Chinese filmmakers’ imagination, artistry and innovation can result in the creation of films that will resonate powerfully with global audiences.”
(By Richard Ren / LAPost)
