In this sumptuous musical adaptation of one of China’s most famous folk tales, Betty Loh Ti plays fourth-century maiden Chu Ying-Tai, who yearns for an education. So she disguises herself as a boy in order to attend school; there she meets the dashing Liang Shan-Po, with whom she falls passionately in love.
This retrospective screening offers audiences the chance to revisit this classic film six decades after its release. Gender-bending role-play was traditional in Huangmei opera and here features as part of the story. But from a contemporary perspective, the decision to cast a female actress – Ivy Ling Po – in the male role complicates the onscreen sexual dynamics. Presenting desire as fluid and uninhibited by gender, this playful and hugely popular musical picked up numerous major awards across East Asia.