Philadelphia Film Society

See something you'll never forget

PFF SPRINGFEST – SHADOW

ZHANG YIMOU | CHINA | MANDARIN | 2018 | 115 MIN

Something’s rotten in the kingdom of Pei in Zhang Yimou’s stunning Shadow, a twisted historical epic filled with royal intrigue, forbidden romance, and jaw-dropping visuals that surpass even Zhang’s own celebrated wuxia classics Hero and House of Flying Daggers. As rain falls incessantly, a cowardly and unstable king (Zheng Kai) stops at nothing to pursue peace with an invading force that shamefully occupies his own city. The house of cards begins to fall when the king’s brave adviser Commander Yu (Deng Chao) goes against the king’s wishes and challenges the invaders’ leader to a duel. Yet lurking inside the palace, Commander Yu recovers from a mortal wound while employing a loyal lookalike as a pawn in his mysterious master plan. Grand in scope but intimate in its storytelling, Shadow’s gorgeous art direction is inspired by the yin-yang symbol, exploring the conflicting nature of man’s soul. That is, until red blood begins to spill.

Cast: Deng Chao, Sun Li, Zheng Kai, Wang Qianyuan

Part of PFF SPRINGFEST April 12-14 at the Philadelphia Film Center
With PFF SpringFest, the Philadelphia Film Society presents a mid-year survey of the freshest cinematic marvels from the international festival circuit–from American indie darlings and eye-opening documentaries to acclaimed foreign titles. Browse the full program HERE.

To purchase a PFF SPRINGFEST Badge CLICK HERE!

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