The RAS is pleased to announce the next film screening: on 16 October, we will watch Rhapsody of Spring (1998), directed by one of China's contemporary masters of storytelling, Teng Wenji (滕文骥).

This heart-warming story sweeps us into the fascinating world of China's lyrical music. It is a coming-of-age drama woven into a beautiful love story, half drama and half musical, that takes us on a journey through the 1950s to the 1980s in China. Zhao Yiming, a young boy in Beijing, fights a constellation of opposing forces to emerge as one of the renowned composers in the modern era. He spends many years in Xinjiang and the countryside of northern Shaanxi in a re-education programme. Serendipitously, he is able to pursue his dreams and create a romantically lyrical style of music that challenges the status quo and ends up being beloved by the public.

The soundtrack exquisitely integrates traditional folk music styles, such as Sutan (苏弹) and Dagu (大鼓), as well as the original score from the Chinese opera Hua Mulan (花木兰). Poetically narrated through ravishing cinematography, Rhapsody of Spring is a triumphant story of a man who endures hardship for his art and emerges victorious while staying true to his convictions.

The film won awards for Best Drama, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress in 1998 China's Huabiao Film Awards.