Coming Soon

Raise the Red Lantern

Directed by Zhang Yimou
Film Movement Classics
1991
125 Minutes
China, Hong Kong
Mandarin
Classics, Drama, Romance, Asian
PG
  1. Home
  2. In Theaters
  3. Raise the Red Lantern

Teenage Songlian (Gong Li), whose family has been devastated by the recent death of her father, becomes the third concubine of wealthy Master Chen (Ma Jingwu). She soon discovers that behind the palatial luxury of life in the master's house, she and her fellow concubines, Zhuoyan (Cao Cuifeng) and Meishan (He Caifei), are pitted against each other in a struggle for his affections. The situation inevitably leads to deception, jealous rages and the revelation of each other's darkest secrets. Presented in a new 4K restoration by Imagine Ritrovata, the restoration laboratory of Cineteca Di Bologna.

Director & Cast

  • Director: Zhang Yimou
  • Starring: Gong Li
  • Starring: Saifei He
  • Starring: Jingwu Ma
  • Starring: Cuifen Cao

Where to Watch

Trailer

Photos

Reviews

  • "Critic's Pick! A beautifully crafted and richly detailed feat of consciousness-raising and a serious drama with the verve of a good soap opera.... [A]s visually striking as it is dramatically effective."
    Janet Maslin, The New York Times
  • "A Chinese film of voluptuous physical beauty and angry passions."
    Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
  • "Gong Li delivers a performance of exquisite expressiveness that, like the film itself, is unnerving in its emotional nakedness."
    Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
  • "Raise the Red Lantern is breathtaking."
    Desson Thomson, Washington Post
  • "With its beautiful look and haunting themes and sublime performances, Raise The Red Lantern is Yimou's master work."
    Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
  • "“Raise the Red Lantern” is an emotionally immersive film that is brilliantly acted and visually breathtaking."
    Sean Barry, Asian Movie Pulse
  • "Zhang’s film is a biting examination of sexual politics, mandarin-style. Also stunningly gorgeous to look at, this melodrama transcends all borders and eras to speak to the ages."
    Marjorie Baumgarten, The Austin Chronicle
Winner
Silver Lion
Venice Film Festival
Winner
FIPRESCI Prize
Venice Film Festival
Winner
Best Foreign Language Film
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Winner
Best Foreign Language Film
National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
Winner
Best Cinematography
National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA
Winner
Foreign Language Film of the Year
London Critics Circle Film Awards
Winner
Best Film not in the English Language
BAFTA Awards
Winner
Best Actor/Actress
Academy Award of Beijing Film Academy
Winner
Top Foreign Films
National Board of Review, USA
Nominated
Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Awards, USA
Official Selection
Toronto Int'l. Film Festival