Farewell My Concubine (1993)

Theatrics bleed into reality when a turbulent relationship between two Peking Opera performers unfolds amidst fifty years of China’s troubled history. Farewell My Concubine follows Douzi and Xiaolou from youth to stardom, as they endure harsh training to perfect their opera roles as a concubine and king, while their partnership is tested by lovers, mentors and soldiers. Wrought with passion and betrayal, their journeys intertwine with inner conflicts and social revolutions in this melodramatic tale. Via the lens of traditional Peking opera, director Chen Kaige calls into question the survival of classical art as it evolves alongside China’s march towards modernity. Culminating in the Cultural Revolution, characters find their fates shaped by both waning cultures and imminent retribution. The film’s commentary on Chinese values old and new, as well as its bold portrayal of personal and social identities, still resonates today. As we are confronted with the cyclical nature of history and politics, Farewell My Concubine presents tradition and modernity as ever-changing and synergetic. Farewell My Concubine currently remains the first and only Chinese-language film to win the prestigious Cannes Palme d’Or. Performances by legendary actors Leslie Cheung and Gong Li further propelled the film into worldwide fame. In that same year, the film’s premiere in Beijing was heavily censored for its controversial depictions of sexuality and 1960s China. Lauded by critics and global audiences, the film persists as a well-known legacy of Chinese Fifth Generation cinema.