Li Han-Hsiang
122 mins
In this sumptuous musical adaptation of one of China’s most famous folk tales, Betty Loh Ti plays fourth–century maiden Chu Ying-Tai, who yearns for an education. So she disguises herself as a boy in order to attend school; there she meets the dashing Liang Shan-Po, with whom she falls passionately in love. This retrospective screening offers audiences the chance to revisit this classic film six decades after its release. Gender-bending role-play was traditional in Huangmei opera and here features as part of the story. But from a contemporary perspective, the decision to cast a female actress – Ivy Ling Po – in the male role complicates the onscreen sexual dynamics. Presenting desire as fluid and uninhibited by gender, this playful and hugely popular musical made Ling Po an icon and picked up numerous major awards across East Asia.
Born in China, Li Han-Hsiang began his film career in Hong Kong in 1948 as an actor, before directing his first independent productions. He joined Shaw Brothers in 1956 and directed more than 20 films, including classics such as Diau Charn (1958) and The Kingdom and the Beauty (1959), winning the Golden Horse for Best Director for The Love Eterne in 1963.
Presented in partnership with Hong Kong Film Festival UK.