A Forgotten Wife

A Forgotten Wife

Dir: Tan Youliu
Orig story: Chinese Music, Dance and Drama Society
Scr: Sima Man-sum
Prod: Nanguo
Cast: Wang Danfeng, Lo Wei, Lee Ching, Fung Lam
1950 | DCP | B&W | Mandarin | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 116min

Based on a smash-hit stage play of the same title, A Forgotten Wife explores the universal themes of love and betrayal through the tragic story of a Chinese couple who is driven apart by poverty and war. The husband (Lo Wei) leaves his hometown Shantou to find work in Thailand. Soon he falls prey to his greed and chooses to remarry a local wealthy woman. The unknowing wife (Wang Danfeng), reduced to begging at home, has no choice but to travel to Bangkok with her young son with the aim of reuniting with her husband. But reality hits hard and she is nearly trafficked...Screenwriter Sima Man-sum was once a child labourer in the Philippines and his personal experience adds a unique sense of authenticity to the narrative. Director Tan Youliu himself once lived in Thailand for years and through the camera lens, he captures the hardships of life in Bangkok realistically, contrasting the debased life of the poor immigrants with the decadent life of the filthy rich. Billed as the first Chinese language film shot on location in Thailand, A Forgotten Wife not only features such famous Bangkok landmarks as the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, but is also imbued with exotic Thai cultures like Muay Thai and Nora dance. Upon release, the film immediately won the hearts of audiences both locally and overseas and prompted Nanguo Film Company to dub the film in Chaozhou-dialect for re-release.


Date Time Venue
11/11/2023 (Sat)# 1:00pm (GMT+7) Sala Cinema, 6/F, Thai Film Archive

# Pre-screening talk with Sam Ho and Joyce Yang


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.