The RAS is pleased to announce the next film screening: on February 15, we will watch Mao's Last Dancer, directed by Australian director Bruce Beresford. Based on a memoir of the same name, the film is an inspirational and unforgettable tale of a Chinese dancer who, against all odds, makes his name on the world stage.

On a chilly winter day in Mao's China Li Cunxin, a peasant boy living in Shandong province is selected to learn ballet in Beijing. Being too young to understand what ballet is, he advances his skills but dances dispassionately. After the crash of "Gang of Four" and on a groundbreaking visit of Houston Ballet's artistic director, Li is chosen to dance in America as a cultural exchange student. Through breathtaking talent and sheer determination, Li rises in the United States as a well-known ballerino. Then his time to return to China draws close …

The film premiered in September 2009 at the Toronto International Film Festival. Beautifully choreographed and acted, it was hailed as "a must-see" and "an unexpectedly staggering cinematic experience" by major critics. The film was nominated for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2009 AFI Awards (now AACTA) and its soundtrack composer Christopher Gordon​ won the Best Original Music Score prize.

Film: Mao's Last Dancer

• Director: Bruce Benesford​
• Screenplay: Jan Sardi
• Based on: Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin​
• Cinematographer: Peter James
• Starring:
• Cao Chi​ (曹驰)
• Bruce Greenwood​
• Joan Chen​ (陈冲)
• Kyle MacLachlan​