1. Plot synopsis

Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) and Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) are brothers who grew up together in childhood. Playing the role of Dan, they have always worked together flawlessly, especially the performance of "Farewell My Concubine", which was even more famous in the capital. For this reason, the two agreed to co-star in "Farewell My Concubine" for the rest of their lives. However, the two have fundamentally different understandings of the relationship between drama and life. Duan Xiaolou understands that drama is not life, while Cheng Dieyi is indifferent between drama and drama.

Duan Xiaolou married the famous prostitute Juxian (Gong Li) when he thought it was time to get married and start a business. Cheng Dieyi believed that Juxian was a shameful third party, making Duan Xiaolou a traitor. , the love-hate battle between the three people around the play "Farewell My Concubine" began to escalate with the changes of the times, and eventually led to tragedy.

2. Awards

In 1993, the film won the Palme d'Or, the highest award at the Cannes International Film Festival in France, becoming the first Chinese film to win this honor; in addition, the film also won It has won many international awards including the U.S. Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the International Federation of Film Critics Award. It is the only Chinese-language film to win the Cannes International Film Festival’s Palme d’Or and the U.S. Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 1994, Leslie Cheung won the 4th China Film and Performing Arts Society Special Contribution Award for this film. In 2005, "Farewell My Concubine" was selected as one of the "100 Best Movies in Global History" by Time Magazine.

Extended information:

Appreciation:

This story spanning half a century revolves around the human theme of obsession and betrayal, with two Peking Opera characters The actors' separation and reunification form the main plot line. Duan Xiaolou and Cheng Dieyi are partners on stage, playing the roles of Overlord and Concubine respectively. Cheng Dieyi developed an ambiguous same-sex feeling for his senior brother Duan Xiaolou because of the drama.

The whole movie is colorful and has an epic temperament. The film not only outlines the historical changes from the 1930s to the 1960s, but also reflects the various aspects of human nature in the ups and downs of the times, deeply and delicately. Duan Xiaolou is the fake overlord, and Cheng Dieyi is the real Concubine.

One of them is sober and the other is addicted. One betrays and the other persists. It's hard to say who is right and who is wrong. All this is a result of the times and human nature. This film fully demonstrates the profoundness and beauty of Peking Opera art, and also reflects on history, culture, and human nature.

Reference: Farewell My Concubine - Baidu Encyclopedia