This event has been rescheduled for April 19 to avoid the Easter Holiday.



Xie Jin​, China's storytelling master, directed several films centered on female themes throughout his career. Some of the notable works include "The Red Detachment of Women" (1960) and "Stage Sisters" (1964). After the Cultural Revolution, he directed "Qiu Jin," portraying the life and sacrifice of the titular heroine, a historical figure who fought to end Qing rule in the early 1900s.

Xie was keenly interested in traditional Yue Opera, which originated near his hometown of Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province in the 1930s. Shaoxing Ju evolved into a popular theatrical genre and achieved mainstream success in Shanghai during the 1940s, eventually being known as Yue Ju. Unlike Peking Opera where men perform both male and female roles, Yue Opera primarily features female performers in all roles. Despite the success and prestige attained on stage, actresses often faced various challenges backstage and had to navigate carefully the complexities of stardom, social pressure, and sometimes politics.

The story of "Stage Sisters" begins in 1935 when a runaway bride named Zhu Chunhua seeks refuge with an itinerant Yue Opera troupe performing in a village in Zhejiang. Master Xing, recognizing Chunhua's potential, takes her in and trains her to play the leading female role alongside his daughter Xing Yuehong, who performs the male lead. The troupe travels through towns and villages in Jiangnan, often facing harassment from wealthy landlords and local police. After Master Xing's death, the troupe owner, A'Xin, disbands the group and takes Chunhua and Yuehong to Shanghai, where he signs a contract for them with Manager Tang to perform on his stage. The year is 1941...

The film won the Sutherland Trophy​ at the British Film Institute Awards during the 24th London Film Festival​ in 1980, among other international accolades. Mike Hale, writing for the New York Times​, remarked that "Two Stage Sisters... is unexpectedly fluid and subtle, with emotions that ring true. It's also a sweeping, ambitious narrative that moves from the provinces to ... Shanghai and back again." Gilbert Adair provided a glowing review in Time Out​ magazine, stating: "The performances are terrific, but what really distinguishes ... is the director's fluid and elegant style. Color, composition, pace, and, above all, camera movement create an exhilarating spectacle ..." In 2014, the film underwent a six-month 4K restoration at L'Immagine Ritrovata Film Restoration Laboratory in Bologna, Italy. The restored version premiered at the 2014 Shanghai International Film Festival at the city's iconic Grand Theatre.

Film

Stage Sisters 舞台姐妹

Directed by

Xin Jie 谢晋

Written by

Lin Gu 林谷, Xu Jin 徐进, Xie Jin 谢晋

Starring

Xie Fang 谢芳

Cao Yindi 曹银娣

Li Wei 李纬

Deng Nan 邓楠

Language

Chinese with English subtitles