{{short description|2025 American drama film}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Lucky Lu | image = Lucky Lu 2025.jpeg | caption = Film poster | director = Lloyd Lee Choi | producer = {{Plainlist| * Destin Daniel Cretton * Nina Yang Bongiovi * Asher Goldstein * Tony Yang * Ron Najor * Jeyun Munford }} | writer = Lloyd Lee Choi | based_on = {{Based on|''Same Old''|Lloyd Lee Choi}} | starring = {{Plainlist| * Chang Chen * Fala Chen * Carabelle Manna Wei }} | music = Charles Humenry | cinematography = Norm Li | editing = Brendan Mills | production_companies = {{Plainlist| * Significant Productions * Cedar Road<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sffilm.org/ffilm-announces-four-year-partnership-with-cedar-road/|title=SFFILM Announces Four Year Partnership with Cedar Road|website=SFFILM|date=March 4, 2025|access-date=April 15, 2025}}</ref> * Hisako Films * Gold House * Big Buddha Pictures }} | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2025|5|19|Cannes}} | runtime = 103 minutes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.quinzaine-cineastes.fr/fr/film/lucky-lu|title=Lucky Lu|website=Directors' Fortnight|access-date=April 29, 2025}}</ref> | country = {{Plainlist| * Canada * United States }} | language = English | budget = | gross = }}
'''''Lucky Lu''''' is a 2025 drama film written and directed by Lloyd Lee Choi, in his feature film directorial debut. Adapted from Choi's 2022 short film ''Same Old'', it stars Chang Chen, Fala Chen, and Carabelle Manna Wei.
The film had its world premiere at the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025, where it was eligible for the ''Caméra d'Or''.<ref name="Quinzaine">{{Cite web |title=Lucky Lu |url=https://www.quinzaine-cineastes.fr/en/film/lucky-lu |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=Quinzaine des cinéastes |language=en}}</ref> At the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, the film was nominated for five awards and won three, including Best Leading Actor for Chen, Best New Director for Choi, and Best Original Film Score for Charles Humenry.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shackleton |first=Liz |date=November 23, 2025 |title='A Foggy Tale' Wins Best Film & Three Other Prizes At Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards |url=https://deadline.com/2025/11/golden-horse-awards-a-foggy-tale-chang-cheng-fan-bingbing-1236627003/ |access-date=December 13, 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood |language=en-US}}</ref> It also received two nominations at the 41st Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Director for Choi and Best Lead Performance for Chen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-12-03 |title=Here Are Your 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees! |url=https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/here-are-your-2026-film-independent-spirit-awards-nominees/ |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=Film Independent |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Premise== A delivery driver's bike is stolen on the eve of his wife and his daughter's immigration from Taiwan to New York City.
==Cast== * Chang Chen as Lu Jia Cheng * Fala Chen as Si Yu * Carabelle Manna Wei as Yaya * Fiona Fu as Yu Tong * Laith Nakli as Markos * Perry Yung as Zhang * Fady Rizk as Bodega Clerk
==Production== In September 2024, it was announced Chang Chen would star in the film, with Lloyd Lee Choi directing from a screenplay he wrote. Destin Daniel Cretton and Nina Yang Bongiovi were set to serve as producers.<ref name=tangcay>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/asia/lloyd-lee-choi-lucky-lu-1236131890/|title=Lloyd Lee Choi's Feature Adaptation 'Lucky Lu' to Begin Filming in New York City Later This Year|website=Variety|first=Jazz|last=Tangcay|date=September 5, 2024|access-date=April 15, 2025}}</ref> Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Pritzker serve as an executive producers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/lucky-lu-first-look-lloyd-lee-choi-directorial-debut-cannes-1235123883/|title='Lucky Lu' First Look: Lloyd Lee Choi's Directorial Debut Confronts the Fallacy of the American Dream|website=IndieWire|first=Samantha|last=Bergeson|date=May 17, 2025|access-date=May 17, 2025}}</ref> The film is a full-length expansion of Choi's 2022 short film ''Same Old''.<ref name=tangcay/>
Principal photography began in December 2024, in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nycastings.com/0430/v3_viewNoticeDetail.asp?Qc=Film/TV/Video,Kids/Teens&Qn=108562|title=Lucky Lu Casting Lead Child Fluent in Mandarin|website=NY Castings|access-date=April 15, 2025}}</ref>
== Release and reception == It had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Directors' Fortnight section on May 19, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/04/cannes-directors-fortnight-2025-line-up-1236368697/|title=Cannes Directors’ Fortnight Unveils 2025 Line-Up; 'Enzo' Opener & 'Sorry, Baby' Closer|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Melanie|last=Goodfellow|date=April 15, 2025|access-date=April 15, 2025}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ Awards and nominations ! Award ! Year ! Category ! Recipient(s) ! Result ! class="unsortable" | {{Refh}} |- ! scope="row" | Calgary International Film Festival | 2025 | International Narrative Competition | ''Lucky Lu'' | {{nom}} | <ref>{{Cite web |title=LUCKY LU » CIFF |url=https://www.ciffcalgary.ca/films/2025/lucky-lu/ |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=Calgary International Film Festival |language=en}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Cannes Film Festival | 2025 | ''Caméra d'Or'' | ''Lucky Lu'' | {{nom}} | <ref name="Quinzaine" /> |- ! scope="row" | El Gouna Film Festival | 2025 | El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film | ''Lucky Lu'' | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2025 |title=EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL CONCLUDES 8TH EDITION WITH STELLAR AWARDS CEREMONY |url=https://elgounafilmfestival.com/?news=el-gouna-film-festival-concludes-8th-edition-with-stellar-awards-ceremony |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=El Gouna Film Festival |language=en}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Filmfest Hamburg | 2025 | NDR Young Talent Award | Lloyd Lee Choi | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite web |date=4 October 2025 |title=Film Meets Heart |url=https://www.filmfesthamburg.de/en/news/film-meets-heart/ |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=Filmfest Hamburg |language=en}}</ref> |- ! rowspan="2" scope="row" | Film Independent Spirit Awards | rowspan="2" | 2026 | Best Director | Lloyd Lee Choi | {{nom}} | rowspan="2" | <ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=December 3, 2025 |title=Spirit Awards Nominations: 'Train Dreams', 'The Plague', 'Sorry, Baby', 'Twinless' & 'Peter Hujar's Day' In Best Feature Race |url=https://deadline.com/2025/12/spirit-awards-nominations-2026-1236634418/ |access-date=December 13, 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | Best Lead Performance | Chang Chen | {{nom}} |- ! rowspan="5" scope="row" | Golden Horse Awards | rowspan="5" | 2025 | Best Leading Actor | Chang Chen | {{won}} | rowspan="5" | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Silvia |date=1 October 2025 |title='A Foggy Tale', 'Left-Handed Girl' lead Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards nominations |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/a-foggy-tale-left-handed-girl-lead-taiwans-golden-horse-awards-nominations/5209516.article |access-date=1 October 2025 |website=Screen Daily |language=en}}</ref><br /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Silvia |date=23 November 2025 |title='A Foggy Tale' wins multiple prizes including best film at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/a-foggy-tale-wins-multiple-prizes-including-best-film-at-taiwans-golden-horse-awards/5211257.article |access-date=23 November 2025 |website=Screen Daily |language=en}}</ref> |- | Best New Director | rowspan="2" | Lloyd Lee Choi | {{won}} |- | Best Adapted Screenplay | {{nom}} |- | Best Cinematography | Norm Li | {{nom}} |- | Best Original Film Score | Charles Humenry | {{won}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|34000545}}
Category:2025 directorial debut films Category:American drama films Category:Canadian drama films Category:Films produced by Destin Daniel Cretton Category:Films set in New York City Category:Films shot in New York City Category:2025 American films Category:2025 Canadian films Category:2025 drama films