Farewell My Concubine is a 1993 Chinese film directed by Chen Kaige which depicts the effects of various Chinese political turmoils during the 20th century on a Peking opera troupe. Its Chinese title is Bàwáng Bié Jī, which literally translates as (the) Hegemon-King Bids Farewell to (his) Concubine. The film is considered by critics to be one of the central works of the Fifth Generation movement that brought the Chinese film directors of that period to world attention. Like several other Fifth Generation films, Farewell My Concubine explores the effect of China's turbulent political landscape during the mid-20th century on human lives. In this case, the lives are those of two Peking opera performers and the woman who comes between them. The film is an adaptation of the novel by Lilian Lee.
DVD, 164 minutes, Mandarin Chinese, with Chinese and English subtitles.
