Shih-Ching Tsou

Shih-Ching Tsou is a Taiwan-born film producer, director, and actress. She co-directed the film Take Out (2004) with Sean Baker. She also produced Baker's other films Starlet (2012), Tangerine (2015), The Florida Project (2017) and Red Rocket (2021).

Early life
Tsou was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. After graduating from Fu Jen Catholic University, Tsou came to New York City for her master's degree in Media Studies at The New School.

Career
Tsou's first film Take Out which she co-directed, co-wrote, co-produced with Sean Baker. The film had its world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2004, then going on to screen at the Nashville Film Festival where it won the grand jury prize. It was released in a limited release in the United States on June 6, 2008. In 2009, it was nominated for the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award. Take Out had a 4K digital restoration release on Bluray by the Criterion Collection in 2022.

Tsou went on to work with Baker on his third film, Starlet, as an executive producer and costume designer. The film had its world premiere at SXSW on March 11, 2012. The film was released in a limited release on September 9, 2012 by Music Box Films. Tsou along with Baker and the ensemble cast were given the Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award in 2013.

Baker and Tsou collaborated again on Tangerine, where she served as a producer on the film as well as the costume designer, art department, additional camera operator, and made her acting debut in the film. It was filmed completely on iPhone 5s. The film had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2015. The film had a limited release by Magnolia Pictures on July 10, 2015.

After Tangerine, Tsou produced Baker's next feature The Florida Project. The film premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and was theatrically released in the United States on October 6, 2017 by A24. It won at least 38 and was nominated for at least 104 awards including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Willem Dafoe (see List of accolades received by The Florida Project).

In 2022, Tsou began production on her first solo directorial feature, Left-Handed Girl, a family drama set in a night market in Taipei, Taiwan.

Her latest producing work is Baker's feature Red Rocket, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and has received rave reviews. In 2021, along with other members of the Red Rocket team, she received the Producer Award at the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards.

Tsou was one of the finalists of 2009 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise Honoree in Filmmaking. She served as a programmer for the Slamdance Film Festival and was a member of the jury in 2019.