Girl on Edge

Notably, the film was selected for the Directors' Fortnight section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, where it received positive reviews during its premiere on May 20, 2025. '花漾少女杀人事件' is set to release on July 18th in theaters across China and is a psychological thriller that tells the story of Jiang Ning, her controlling mother Wang Shuang, and another figure skating prodigy named Zhong Ling. The film follows the psychological tension between a mother and daughter, where the daughter's personality becomes increasingly extreme under her mother's pathological control, and this balance is disrupted when Zhong Ling enters their lives.

The movie is trending due to its direction by the 95-born director Zhou Jinghao, production by Chen Zhengdao, and its powerful cast, including Huabiao Award winner Zhang Zifeng and Bai Yu Lan TV Award winner Ma Yili. The film's selection for the 78th Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight section and its intense trailer, showcasing psychological tension, blood, ice skating, and murder, have also contributed to its popularity. It is being marketed as one of the most anticipated suspense thrillers of the summer movie season.

The film is generating buzz for its bold approach to the thriller genre in Chinese cinema, notably using 'murder' directly in its title, which is uncommon for Chinese films. Early reviews from Cannes have been positive, particularly praising the film's visual style and the intense performances of the lead actresses. The English translations found for the film's title include 'Girl on Edge' and 'The Killer in the Mirror', with 'Girl on Edge' appearing to be the official English title.

There is significant positive buzz and anticipation around '花漾少女杀人事件' and its July 18th release date announcement. The film received strong acclaim at its Cannes Film Festival premiere, with early viewers praising Zhang Zifeng's performance as a powerful evolution in her acting career. Social media sentiment is excited about the film's bold title, dark psychological elements, and the mother-daughter dynamic between Zhang Zifeng and Ma Yili.

The film is being called a potential "dark horse" of the summer movie season, with social media users excited about its intense psychological thriller elements, Zhang Zifeng's "evil smile" and blood-splattered scenes, strong visual style, and complex mother-daughter relationship. Many highlight that this is an impressive debut from a young 95s-generation director, and the film is being praised for breaking away from conventional Chinese family drama narratives. Viewers appreciate that it appears to be both commercially appealing and artistically accomplished.

The public reaction is overwhelmingly positive, with high expectations for both its artistic merit and commercial success. The film has successfully generated intrigue with its marketing, and social media discussions show strong anticipation for its theatrical release. After being selected for the 78th Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight section, the film officially announced its theatrical release date for July 18, 2025, and released a new version of the theatrical trailer, confirming the main cast, including Zhang Zifeng, Ding Xiangyuan, and Ma Yili.

The story centers around Jiang Ning, a talented figure skating girl, and her complex mother-daughter relationship with Wang Shuang, which is disrupted by another figure skating talent, Zhong Ling. The film received positive early reviews at Cannes, and social media reaction to the trailer has been strong, particularly noting the intense psychological elements. The movie is being positioned as a potential dark horse in the summer movie season, notable for its bold approach as a Chinese film explicitly including "murder" in its title. Overall, '花漾少女杀人事件' is generating significant buzz for its psychological thriller elements, strong casting combination, and unique take on the mother-daughter relationship genre.