A City of Sadness (1989)

Other name:

Description:

A City of Sadness is a powerful historical drama by Hou Hsiao Hsien that follows the Lin family during a volatile period in Taiwanese history. Spanning from the end of Japanese colonial rule in 1945 to the rise of the Nationalist Kuomintang in 1949, the film captures the personal tragedies of four brothers. The eldest son runs a bar called Little Shanghai and enters the postwar black market. The second son died in the Philippines, while the third struggles with mental illness and dangerous Shanghai drug dealers. The youngest brother, Wenching, is a gentle, deaf-mute photographer who becomes entangled in political turmoil. Following the tragic February 28 Incident in 1947, Wenching and his friend Hinoe are arrested. After his release, Wenching marries Hinoe's sister, Hinomi, trying to build a peaceful life. However, as political tensions escalate and Hinoe joins the leftist guerrillas, the Kuomintang eventually arrests Wenching, leaving his young family in uncertainty.

Country: Taiwanese

Status: Completed

Released: 1989

Genre:Drama; Historical