Introduced by Jason McGrath, Associate Professor of Modern Chinese Literature and Film, Department of Asian Languages and Literatures, University of Minnesota.

Undeniably comic. Surprisingly ebullient.” — Village Voice

This neorealist gem of Chinese cinema, completed just before the revolution, shows the country’s transformation through the prism of a Shanghai boarding house. The tenants must work together to save their living space as the owner, a Chiang Kai-shek sympathizer, is fleeing the country and the Red Army is set to take over. During production, Zheng provided the studio with a fake script and made daily updates to the real screenplay hidden in the ceiling as the situation in the country changed. 1949, 35mm, 108 minutes.

Co-presented by the Consortium for the Study of the Asias at the University of Minnesota

Special thanks to the Confucius Institute for their promotional support.

Introduced by Jason McGrath, Associate Professor of Modern Chinese Literature and Film, Department of Asian Languages and Literatures, University of Minnesota.

Undeniably comic. Surprisingly ebullient.” — Village Voice

This neorealist gem of Chinese cinema, completed just before the revolution, shows the country’s transformation through the prism of a Shanghai boarding house. The tenants must work together to save their living space as the owner, a Chiang Kai-shek sympathizer, is fleeing the country and the Red Army is set to take over. During production, Zheng provided the studio with a fake script and made daily updates to the real screenplay hidden in the ceiling as the situation in the country changed. 1949, 35mm, 108 minutes.

Co-presented by the Consortium for the Study of the Asias at the University of Minnesota

Special thanks to the Confucius Institute for their promotional support.