Ann Hui's THE GOLDEN ERA opens tomorrow in the U.S. and Canada

The Golden Era / Huang jin shi dai

Directed by Ann Hui

China/Hong Kong, 2014, 177 minutes

The Golden Era is an epic biography of Xiao Hong, one of China’s most famous essayists and novelists. Helmed by the renowned Hong Kong director Ann Hui, it will open tomorrow, Friday, October 17th in the United States and Canada. (It opened today, September 16th, in Australia and New Zealand.) For cities and theaters, click here.

Mainland Chinese actress Tang Wei (who had the lead role in Ang Lee's Lust Caution and in last year's hit Finding Mr. Right, which was also released by China Lion) stars as female novelist Xiao Hong, whose given name was Zhang Naiying. In a brief opening monologue, Hong tells us that she was born on June 1, 1911 in Manchuria and died on January 22, 1942 in a makeshift hospital in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong.

Details of her short, unconventional and rather unhappy life are frequently recounted by such narratives, sometimes spoken by her, sometimes by the people -- mainly literary figures and others from the world of publishing -- who knew her. Thus the film's dramatic narrative is frequently broken by brief scenes of "talking heads." The author's own writings are also quoted to illustrate what was happening to her during this turbulent period.

Xjao Jun (Feng Shaofeng), left, and Xiao Hong (Tamg Wei)

Feng Shaofeng (Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon ) co-stars as Xiao Jun, the writer with whom Hong had a long and troubled relationship. It was his family name that Hong used in her nom de plume.

Personally, at a nearly three hour running time, I found The Golden Era to be a bit overlong. Compare its length with Center Stage (1991), Stanley Kwan's biographical film about Ruan Ling-yu, the actress (played by Maggie Cheung) who killed herself in 1935 at the age of 24. Both Ruan and Hong were unconventional figures and victims of gossip, but Kwan's multi-award winning film is a conventional 126 minutes long. I never thought I'd say this, but The Golden Era is an Asian film that might actually have benefited from some cuts mandated by Harvey "Scissorhands" Weinstein.

On the other hand, it is highly respected in Hong Kong, which has chosen it as the autonomous region's official selection for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its Best Foreign Language category.

AsianCIneFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; highly recommended. Irregardless of its length, this film is well-worth seeing for its detailed depiction of a very talented woman whose free-thinking was most unconventional during the all-too-brief period of her life.

THE GOLDEN ERA acquired by China Lion for distribution in Australia, New Zealand, U.S. & Canada

China Lion Film Distribution has acquired Ann Hui’s historical epic The Golden Era from Edko Films for release in the U.S. and Canada, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The Mandarin-language film stars Tang Wei as female novelist Xiao Hong and will be released in theaters on October 16th in Australia and New Zealand and October 17th in the United States and Canada. The film, which is the official Hong Kong selection for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its Best Foreign Language category, closed the Venice Film Festival this year and was an Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Vancouver International Film Festival. The Golden Era will have its U.S. premiere in Monterey Park in Los Angeles on October 7th sponsored by Hyundai USA at the AMC Atlantic Times Square 14.

Directed by Ann Hui (A Simple Life, God of Killers, The Postmodern Life of My Aunt), the film traces the life of Xiao Hong, one of China’s most famous essayist and novelist, reflecting the progressive thinking not frequently seen during the time period. Set in 1930s China, the film uses personal accounts and the author’s own writings in piecing together a turbulent life in a turbulent time. Tang Wei, a multiple award winner for her lead role in Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution as well as her starring turn in last year’s blockbuster hit Finding Mr. Right, plays Xiao Hong, with Feng Shaofeng co-starring. Shaofeng recently was in the Chinese hit The Continent and will star in the upcoming film Wolf Totem, written by Jean-Jacques Annaud and John Collee, from the best-selling novel by Jian Rong.

China Lion Film released Hui’s last film, A Simple Life, to spectacular reviews and audience reception; the film was also featured at the previous year’s Venice Film Festival, winning multiple awards for star Deanie Ip and going on to make Roger Ebert’s Top Films of the Year before his passing. Additionally, China Lion Film released Tang Wei’s last film Finding Mr. Right and will be opening up the Xu Zheng/Huang Bo-starrer Breakup Buddies this Friday, October 3rd.

China Lion Film will release The Golden Era in major metro areas throughout North America, including in select college towns, in addition to Australia and New Zealand; specific release locations will be announced on the company’s website, as well as its Facebook and Weibo soon. China Lion Film Distribution previously released But Always on September 5th, which is still in limited release.