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Farewell My Concubine is a chinois film of genre Drama directed by Chen Kaige released in USA on 16 september 1993 with Leslie Cheung

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

霸王别姬 (Bawang bieji)

Farewell My Concubine
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Farewell My Concubine is a 1993 Chinese drama film directed by Chen Kaige and one of the central works of the Fifth Generation movement that brought Chinese film directors to world attention. Similar to other Fifth Generation films like To Live and The Blue Kite, Farewell My Concubine explores the effect of China's political turmoil during the mid-20th century on the lives of individuals, families, and groups, in this case, two stars in a Peking opera troupe and the woman who comes between them.

The film is an adaptation of the novel by Lilian Lee. Lilian Lee is also one of the film's screenplay writers.

The actor Leslie Cheung was used in the film to attract audiences because melodramas are not a popular genre. Also, due to Gong Li's international stardom, she was used as the other main character in the film.

Farewell My Concubine remains to date the only Chinese-language film to win the Cannes Palme d'Or.

Synopsis

Farewell My Concubine spans 53 years, presenting the lives of two men against the historical backdrop of a country in upheaval. It is about the story of Dieyi and Xiaolou and how their lives are affected by the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s and the victory of the Communists in 1949.

Actors

Leslie Cheung

(Cheng Dieyi / Xiao Douzi)
Gong Li

(Juxian)
Zhang Fengyi

(Duan Xiaolou (段小樓) / Xiaoshitou (小石頭))
Jiang Wenli

(Xiao Douzi's Mother)
Trailer of Farewell My Concubine

Bluray, DVD

Streaming / VOD

Source : Wikidata

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