Jennifer Zhang Set To Director Sci-Fi Feature Trüebadour; Gina Su Toplines Cast

EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Zhang (Fetish, Charon), is set to direct sci-fi feature length anthology, Trüebadour. Also written by Zhang, the film stars Gina Su (Autopilot, Blue, Transpo), and Daphne Quin Wu (The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, Beacon) serves as cinematographer.

Based on the sci-fi short Autopilot, Trüebadour follows an enigmatic engineering prodigy who introduces the bombastic founder of a tech start-up to an innovative “storytelling” device that scans its wearer to generate an original work of fiction. No one at the company is prepared for the unsettling stories their minds inspire, nor the disturbing consequences of using the device. 

“I’ve always had a voracious passion for science fiction but grew up enjoying it while seeing very few faces and perspectives like ours represented in it. Trüebadour is as much a serious contribution to the genre as it is a love letter to Asian American sci-fi fans,” said Zhang. Zhang previously wrote and directed the feature Charon, which was repped and sold at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021 by Avatar Entertainment and an Oscar run in 2022 with the qualifying short “Fetish,” which she wrote and produced. 

Su states, “Diversity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the heartbeat of Trüebadour. By amplifying underrepresented voices and perspectives, we hope to reshape the narrative landscape one story at a time.”

Wu was named one of American Cinematographer’s Rising Stars of Cinematography in 2021 and honored by the BAFTAs in the 2023 Breakthrough cohort. Her credits include the Critic’s Choice Award nominated List of a Lifetime and the NAACP Image Award-nominated The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.

Jennifer Zhang’s Flying Koi Entertainment and Gina Su’s Pretty Magic Productions are joined by Jonathan Hsu’s Hsubox Productions. Hsu’s previous works include the feature Starring Jerry which garnered recognition at the Slamdance Film Festival and Busan International Film Festival and has recently been picked up for distribution with a Fall 2024 release. Randy Chung is also set to produce. 

Zhang is managed by Larry Robinson at Avatar Entertainment. Su is managed by Sharon Holleran at A & R Talent and represented by Love Talent Agency. Wu is represented by CAA.