Director Stanley Kwan subverts the biopic genre with this 1990s classic, which traces legendary 1930s Chinese screen diva Ruan Lingyu's ascent to fame and her fall from grace. Featuring an elegant performance by Maggie Cheung as Ruan, the film breaks down the glossy façade to reveal the complex woman behind the screen. It's also a fascinating trip into the golden era of Shanghai's once-illustrious film industry – often compared to Hong Kong cinema's own golden era – showing some of its most prominent figures through Ruan's eyes. In a surprising dialectic twist, Kwan cuts into the film's core narrative with black-and-white interview footage of his actors speaking about their characters, real footage of Ruan's works and behind-the-scenes footage from Kwan's set. An enlightening examination of the bond between life and art, this 155-minute director's cut is a testament to Hong Kong cinema's creative power.

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