Song of the Orchid Island

In his second collaboration with Shaw Brothers, Pan Lei once again cast Cheng Pei-pei in the leading role, recognising her remarkable potential. He also continued his celebration of Taiwan’s spectacular landscapes, this time turning his camera to the remote Orchid Island, home to the indigenous Yami people. Cheng stars as an orphaned Yami girl raised by a Catholic priest, played by a real missionary stationed on the island. A young doctor arrives in search of his missing father, who disappeared while conducting zoological research there. With the priest’s help, he hires the orphaned girl as his nurse and begins treating the local community. However, his work brings him into conflict with the village shaman, who is also determined to win the young woman’s affection.

Through Pan Lei’s lyrical direction, the film captures the breathtaking beauty of Orchid Island, including innovative underwater photography that earned the Best Colour Photography award at the Asian Film Festival. It also offers a vivid portrait of Yami culture, showcasing traditional customs and ceremonies such as the Flying Fish Festival and Hair Dance with the richness of an immersive travelogue. Radiating youthful charm and vitality, Cheng Pei-pei is perfectly cast as the pure-hearted and spirited young Yami girl.

Some scenes in Song of the Orchid Island (1965) contains nudity; parental guidance is advised.

Date	Time	Venue
9/10/2026 (Fri) #	11:00am	Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

# Post-screening talk with Grace Ng

The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.

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