Based on the best-selling novel by Lilian Lee, Farewell My Concubine is an epic exploration of art, friendship and betrayal. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of more than fifty years of Chinese history, the film charts the relationship between Cheng (Leslie Cheung) and Duan (Zhang Fengyi), two stars in the Peking Opera troupe, and the woman who comes between them. Chen Kaige's sumptuous and moving epic holds an important place in the history of Chinese-language cinema. Recognised with more than twenty major awards, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and the FIPRESCI and Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, it brought the cinema of China to a western audience.
Special feature
- The Making of Farewell My Concubine (2003, 24 mins): documentary charting the making of the film, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and the director
