Cathay Film Company Reveals New Scripted Drama Series COOLIE

The little-known history of enslaved Chinese 'coolies' in Cuba in the 1860s, amidst the backdrop of the Spanish Revolution, has inspired a new limited series from Singapore based Cathay Film Company's Meileen Choo.

Titled "Coolie," the eight-episode English and Chinese language drama series is a global production featuring a multinational ensemble cast from Hong Kong, Cuba and Colombia.

Louise Wong ("A Guilty Conscience," "Anita"), one of Hong Kong's biggest rising stars and a top model, stars as the female lead alongside Taiwanese actor Joseph Chang ("Eternal Summer," "Girlfriend Boyfriend," "Soul"), Colombian actor and TV personality Mauricio Henao ("La Herencia," "Panama," "Fake Profile"), and Cuban actors Camila Arteche ("El acompanante," "Sergio & Serguei," "Juego de Mentiras") and Sian Chiong ("La Mexicana y el Guero," "Menudo," "Fidel's Daughter").

In the mid-1800's, as the African slave trade was outlawed throughout the Americas, plantation owners in Cuba began trafficking indentured servants, "coolies" from Asia, primarily China, and they were treated as slaves. 'Coolies' eventually integrated into Cuban society, fought for independence from Spain, and merged with the workers coming out of indentured servitude, providing a workforce for farms, restaurants, factories and setting up Chinatowns across the world.

The series "Coolie" follows a young Chinese girl (Wong) who sets off from southern China to marry a political exile working on a sugarcane plantation in Cuba. There, she finds the sympathetic, non-slave owning plantation owner plotting for independence from Imperial Spain, aided by Chinese indentured servants and African slaves seeking freedom. The plantation owner's spurned wife and her old lover conspire against them all to thwart their plans, igniting an escalating series of scheming and retaliation with the heart of Cuba hanging in the balance.

Distinguished film industry veteran Meileen Choo is the series creator and showrunner. Choo is known for running the prominent Cathay Organisation, a heavyweight name in Singapore's film industry. "Coolie" is the debut series from Choo and her new Cathay Film Company banner.

"Coolie" will be directed by Taiwanese-American director Arvin Chen, who most recently directed episodes of Apple's hit series "Pachinko" as well as films "Au revoir Taipei," "Mama Boy," and "Love in Taipei."

In-Ah Lee ("Land of Plenty," "Don't Come Knockin'" "The Way I Spent the End of the World") is the series executive producer. Ed Buhr ("Unhung Hero") is producing.

The series will shoot in the Dominican Republic and Panama. Principal photography will commence in December.

Said Choo, "This story has long been a passion project of mine. We are telling a version here with drama, action, love and intensity during a real time in history with overarching themes that are still very relevant today. Our intent is to make the connection entertaining and meaningful for a contemporary audience and I'm proud to say we have a tremendously talented cast and team to realize this vision."

Director Arvin Chen said, "The world of 'Coolie' is a captivating and unique multicultural world that I never knew existed, and I'm excited to work with our amazing cast and crew to bring that world back to life."

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