Center Stage - Film Screening

Part of film series
Goddess: Chinese Women on Screen (November 9 - December 8, 2012)

Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture

Center Stage 阮玲玉
Dir. Stanley KWAN 关锦鹏. 1992. Hong Kong. Color. 126 min. 35mm. With English subtitles.
Featuring Maggie CHEUNG 张曼玉.

The life, death, love, and pain of Chinese silent cinema starlet Ruan Lingyu (The Goddess, New Women—both in this series) are brought to life in this biopic featuring an unflinching performance by Maggie Cheung, another all-time screen sensation. Ruan, called the “Chinese Greta Garbo,” enjoyed a glorious career but was so troubled by the tabloids’ reporting of her love life that she committed suicide at the age of 25. The 29 films she left behind have immortalized her screen persona. Cheung plays Ruan with total abandon and fully embodies the suffering and passion of her forebear. The film won her the Best Actress award at the Berlin International Film Festival. It pays tribute not only to the queen of silent cinema but also to the golden age of Chinese cinema.

Trailer (without English subtitles)

Check out The Godess (1934) and New Women (1935), both featuring actress Ruan Lingyu, and also check out Ashes of Time Redux (2008), featuring actress Maggie Cheung. These three films are part of this film series.

This series is part of Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture. Additional support is provided by People's Republic of China's Ministry of Culture, China Film Archive, and the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York.