Genre: Romance, Drama, Culture Clash, Experimental, Coming Of Age, Buddies, Marriage
Plot: Peking, 1902. The Feng Tai Photo Shop is in a frenzy of preparation for the arrival of Peking's most important opera star, Lord Tan. Liu Jinglun (Xia Yu), the chief photographer, is oblivious to the chaos as he tinkers with a broken Victrola he has found in a junk pile on his way to work. His boss, Master Ren (Liu Peiqi), chides Liu for his incessant fascination with Western novelties, which he feels have no place in traditional Chinese society.In the flurry of activity surrounding Lord Tan's photo session, a foreigner, Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris), arrives. Raymond has come to introduce "Shadow Magic," the first silent movies, to Imperial Peking. From their first flicker, Liu is captured by the magic of the moving images. "Shadow Magic" unfolds against a backdrop of animosity towards foreigners. Peking is still smarting from the wounds caused by the Boxer Rebellion and the European occupation of the city. Liu must hide his friendship with Raymond from his employer, Master Ren, and his father, Old Liu (Wang Jingming). As Liu spends more time with Raymond and the "Shadow Magic" show, he starts to slip up in his work at the photo shop. He lies to Master Ren, never admitting that he's been working with the foreigner. Liu's desire to learn the "foreigner's trick" also
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| Cast |
Jared Harris
Ocean's Twelve, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Lost in Space |
 | Yu Xia
Maan lone, Du zi deng dai, Ka la shi tiao gou | | | | | | |
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