Ma Xue is an international filmmaker and producer whose work connects Asia, Europe, and North America.

She is based in Boston and works across the United States, China, and South Korea.

Over nearly two decades in cinema and media, she has developed a career that spans commercial film production as well as independent auteur filmmaking. Her work focuses on cross‑cultural storytelling and international film collaboration.

In 2016, she became the only Chinese recipient of the Korean Wave Award, presented by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea.

Commercial Production

Prior to becoming a director, Ma worked extensively as a commercial film producer and executive producer, contributing to major Chinese studio productions including The Thousand Faces of Dunjia (Qi Men Dun Jia), Explosion (Yin Bao Zhe), Sheep Without a Shepherd (Wu Sha), and Detective Chinatown 3 (Tang Ren Jie Tan An 3). These films collectively achieved significant commercial success, with her production portfolio grossing over RMB 6.3 billion (approximately USD 880 million) at the box office.

In parallel, she also produced television projects such as Psychologist (Nv Xin Li Shi) and Dear Life (Qin Ai De Sheng Ming), further establishing her position within the industry before transitioning toward independent auteur filmmaking.

Auteur Filmmaking

Her debut feature film White River (2023) premiered in the Bright Future section of the International Film Festival Rotterdam and has since been distributed internationally across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Her second feature Sonata of Wave (2024) received international recognition including Best Director at the Los Angeles Independent Women Film Awards and Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Film Awards in the United Kingdom.

Her current film project Wilde’s Room is an international co‑production between France and South Korea.

Producing & Executive producing

In parallel with her directorial work, she also remains actively involved in auteur filmmaking as a producer and executive producer. She serves as executive producer on Zhang Tao’s Against the Flow, which now premieres at the Tribeca Festival in the International Narrative Competition and was previously selected for the Cannes Cinéfondation L’Atelier and the Venice Gap-Financing Market.

She is also supporting the short film Suifenhe as the executive producer, further expanding her involvement in internationally oriented independent cinema.

International Production Network
Ma is also the founder of an international production network including:

• Nowa Films – North America

• Dreama Pictures – China

• Yilu Partners – South Korea

Through these companies she develops international co‑productions and collaborates with filmmakers, studios, and cultural institutions worldwide.

Selected Publications

Ma Xue, Click Korea (Dianji Hanguo), Democracy and Construction Press, 2002

ISBN: 9787801124036

In parallel with her work in cinema, Ma Xue has also explored cross-cultural perspectives through writing. Her book Click Korea (Dianji Hanguo), published in 2002, reflects an early engagement with Korean society and cultural observation.