I·CARE Theatre 2018-19: Summer Palace

The I·CARE Theatre, co-organised by this Centre and The Office of the Arts Administrator, has scheduled a fine selection of films for every month in early-2019. These films include Umbrella Diaries: The First Umbrella; Days of Being Wild; The Reader; and Summer Palace.

Summer Palace
140 min｜Category III｜In Mandarin with English subtitles｜
Director: Ye Lou

The story sets against the background of June 4 Tiananmen Square protests. Having admitted to Beiqing University, Yu Hong leaves her family for Beijing to study. She falls in love with her fellow student Zhou Wei, and their relationship has been driven by passions that no one can understand or control. To Zhou, Yu is way too stiff. As for Yu, she is so much into Zhou that she wants to part with him. In June of 1989, university students protest for freedom and democracy at Tiananmen Square. Eventually, the protests collapses. The relationship between Yu and Zhou ends amidst the social chaos.

The couple seems to be destined to separate. Zhou moves to Berlin, while Yu returns to the small town where she used to live. Nonetheless, the two have been thinking about each other during their 10 years of separation. One day, they meet again by chance, but their souls have already changed. With uncertain future ahead, will they survive together?

Post-screening Discussion
2019.04.17｜9:25 pm｜Sir Run Run Shaw Hall｜
Host: Po Chung Chow (Associate Professor of Government and Public Administration, CUHK)
Language: Cantonese