Hope in the World

"Lianhua Symphony" - a small collection, consisting of eight short films shot in 1937 by young filmmakers Shanghai Lianhua Film Company. Part 1: Two Yuans (兩毛錢) directed by Situ Huimin / Part 2: Nightmares in Spring Chamber (春閨斷夢) directed by Fei Mu / Part 3: The Stranger (陌生人) directed by Tan Youliu / Part 4: Three Friends (三人行) directed by Shen Fu / Part 5: Landscape Under the Moonlight (月下小景) directed by He Mengfu / Part 6: The Ghost (鬼) directed by Zhu Shilin / Part 7: Rhapsody of a Madman (瘋人狂想曲) directed by Sun Yu / Part 8: Five Little Brothers (小五義) directed by Cai Chusheng

In the late 1950s, during China’s Great Leap Forward, Shanghai housewives participated, supported by Dai Mama from the neighbourhood committee. Liu Mama opposed her daughter-in-law Wang Caifeng’s involvement, wanting her to stay home, but her son Liu Genfa supported Caifeng. Zheng Baoqing also opposed his wife Cai Guizhen joining the production group, but Cai ignored him, organised her household, and led the sewing group. Dai Mama helped persuade Zheng Baoqing to change his mind. Lu Afeng joined the sewing group out of fear they would borrow her machine but felt ashamed when they made coats for the children’s welfare home.

This biography film is based on the life of the real historical figure Li Shizhen.The story focuses on the social injustices suffered by Li as well as the difficulties he overcame in writing the famous Encyclopedia of Herbs.

Set in 1950s, a village in north China. Wu - the director of the commune leads people to dig wells and fight against drought in order to change their hometown's look.

Blood on Wolf Mountain tells the story of a village that is beset by a pack of wolves. Made just prior to the commencement of full-scale war with the Japanese, the film itself is often considered an allegory of conflict between China and Japan.

A story of a corrupt party official who attempts to sell an apartment building he has appropriated from the original owner and the struggles of the tenants to prevent themselves being thrown onto the street.

This tale of familial warfare and sacrifice takes place in hard-pressed Shanghai at the end of the 1940s. Hu Zhiqing can barely support his wife and children, and his situation is worsened by the unexpected arrival of his mother, brother and sister-in-law. When he is fired by his unscrupulous boss, the whole family becomes embroiled in one emotional/economic struggle after another.

A soldier finds his new role in the transition from war time to the construction era.

When the top diva of an opera troupe storms off after not getting money upfront from their manager, a common street performer comes in to replace her.

Old Shanghai