Director Zhang Yimou's （张艺谋）third feature film "Raise the Red Lantern" is hailed as one of his best films. It is visually stunning and rich with emotions, anchored by an outstanding performance by Gong Li. The RAS film club is pleased to announce that on 18 May we will watch this Zhang's classics which was nominated for an Oscar in 1992.

The story is set in the warlord era of China. After her father's death, 19-year-old Songlian has to drop off school to marry Master Chen, the lord of a powerful family, to become his "Fourth Mistress". Chen already has three wives, each of them living in separate houses within a great castle. The competition between the wives is rife as the Master's attention carries power, status and privilege. Each night Chen decides which wife to spend the night with and a red lantern is lit in front of the house of his choice. Each wife schemes and plots to win Master Chen's favor. However things get out of hand ...

Roger Ebert wrote that "Raise the Red Lantern" is told so directly and beautifully, with such confidence, with so little evidence of compromise. Praised as "one of the landmark films of the 1990s" by critics, the film received many accolades worldwide. It was nominated for the Golden Lion at 1991 Venice International Film Festival and Zhang Yimou won the Silver Lion for Best Director. Empire rated the film 28 of the "100 Best Films of World Cinema".

Film: Raise the Red Lantern （大红灯笼高高挂）

• Director: Zhang Yimou​ (张艺谋)
• Screenplay: Ni Zhen (倪震)
• Based on book: Wives and Concubines by Su Tong ​(苏童)
• Cinematographer: Zhao Fei ​(赵非)
• Starring:
• Gong Li​​ (巩俐)
• He Saifei​ (何赛飞)
• Ma Jingwu (马精武)
• Language: Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles