Farewell My Concubine

Metrograph presents a screening of Farewell My Concubine, Chen Kaige’s sweeping masterpiece and one of the most celebrated films in the history of Chinese cinema. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the film follows the lives of two Peking Opera performers over the course of five decades, tracing their personal and artistic journeys against the backdrop of some of the most turbulent events of twentieth-century China.

Adapted from Lilian Lee’s acclaimed novel, the film centers on Cheng Dieyi, an orphan trained from childhood to perform dan roles, the female characters of traditional Peking Opera. As Dieyi grows into adulthood, his bond with fellow performer Duan Xiaolou deepens into a complicated and unspoken love that shapes the course of both their lives. Their relationship endures through war, revolution, political persecution, and profound social change, blurring the boundaries between performance and reality.

At the heart of the film is a remarkable performance by Leslie Cheung, whose portrayal of Dieyi remains one of the defining achievements of queer cinema. While Farewell My Concubine unfolds as an epic historical drama, it is also a deeply moving story of longing, identity, and desire. The film’s exploration of gender performance, same-sex devotion, and the emotional consequences of repression has made it a touchstone for LGBTQ+ audiences around the world.

This screening features the acclaimed 2023 restoration, scanned in 4K from the original 35mm negative. Carefully preserving the texture and visual richness of the original film, the restoration offers audiences an opportunity to experience one of world cinema’s greatest achievements in stunning detail on the big screen.