Add your email and we'll match picks to the services you stream at home.

Farewell My Concubine

Name: Farewell My Concubine
Genre: Drama
Released: 1993-01-01
Cast: Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li, Lü Qi, Ying Da

1993 | 171 min | Drama

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (91% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (8.0 out of 10), it drew serious awards attention and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who loves a strong drama.
The mood: Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace: Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 51 min.
What might put you off: It's long: 2 hr 51 min.
It's in Chinese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).

In an epic tale of theater, gender, love and class, two Beijing opera actors navigate political turmoil as their friendship evolves over decades.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 84 on Metacritic
AudiencesStrong
8.0 out of 10
AwardsStrong
Won 1 Golden Globe: Golden Globe Awards: Best Foreign Language Film. Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film not in the English Language. Won 1 Cannes award: Cannes Film Festival: Best Foreign Language Film. Also nominated for 2 Oscars. Plus 6 other awards.
Box office & staying powerSolid
$6 million worldwide on a $4 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 249K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

More like this

Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks

Cast & crew

Directed by Chen Kaige

Leslie Cheung Kwok-wingCheng Dieyi / Xiao Douzi
Zhang FengyiDuan Xiaolou / Xiao Shitou
Gong LiJuxian
Lü QiMaster Guan
Ying DaManager
Ge YouMaster Yuan Shiqing
Lei HanXiao Si
Tong DiZhang the Eunuch
Yin ZhiTeenage Douzi
Ma MingweiYoung Douzi