Time Out's Film Screenings: Ju Dou
Sunday 9 October, 4.15pm, Glam, Free
Every month, Time Out Shanghai shows one of the greatest Chinese films of all time for free at Glam, M on the Bund, with free popcorn and specially tailored drinks. This month, we're showing number 21 on our list: Zhang Yimou and Yang Fengliang's Ju Dou.
Dirs Zhang Yimou and Yang Fengliang, 1990; Drama/Romance
An age-old tale of misery and woe, Ju Dou tells the familiar story of furtive glances that explode in adulterous passion – and end up as destructive revenge.
Set in a rural Chinese village in the 1920s, the titular heroine (played by the incomparable Gong Li) is married off to a belligerent, impotent factory owner who dyes fabrics. Each night submitted to a brutal beating for not bearing him a son, Ju Dou begins an illicit affair with her husband’s nephew, which results in the birth of a baby boy. Consumed by his humiliation, the cuckolded old man plots to have the illegitimate son carry out his revenge.
Western viewers will recognise strains of Ibsen and Oedipus in its themes, but the film was actually adapted from a popular Chinese novel, Fuxi, Fuxi. Shot with Zhang’s customary languor and eye for colour, it becomes something all his own.
To reserve your spot, send the word 'film' to our official WeChat account.
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