East Palace, West Palace

East Palace, West Palace (Dong gong xi gong) is a 1996 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yuan starring Hu Jun and Si Han and based on a short story by writer Wang Xiaobo. It is also known as Behind the Forbidden City or Behind the Palace Gates.[1]

East Palace, West Palace
Traditional東宮西宮
Simplified东宫西宫
MandarinDōng Gōng Xī Gōng
Directed byZhang Yuan
Produced byChristophe Jung
Christophe Ménager
Zhang Yuan
Willy Tsao
Written byWang Xiaobo
Zhang Yuan
StarringSi Han
Hu Jun
Zhao Wei
Music byXiang Min
CinematographyZhang Jian
Edited byVincent Lévy
Distributed byFortissimo Films
Release date
Running time
94 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin

East Palace, West Palace is the first Mainland Chinese movie with an explicitly homosexual theme.[2] The title of the movie derives from the two parks near the Forbidden City — the East Palace and the West Palace. The two parks, specifically their public washrooms, are notorious for being places of congregation for homosexual in Beijing during the night.[3]

The film was shot in the spring of 1996, when it was smuggled out of China for post-production in France.[2] It premiered at the Mar del Plata Film Festival in Argentina in November 1996 and at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Un Certain Regard competition.[4][5]

Plot

In China, homosexuality isn't illegal, but homosexuals are routinely persecuted by police and arrested for "hooliganism". The film focuses on a young gay writer called A-Lan who, being attracted to a young policeman named Xiao Shi, manages to have himself arrested and interrogated for a whole night. His life-story, narrated during the interrogation, reflects the general repression of the Chinese society. Xiao Shi's attitude shifts from an initial revulsion to fascination and, finally, to attraction.

Cast
  • Si Han as A-Lan, the young gay man picked up by the police one night in Beijing.
  • Hu Jun as Xiao Shi, the conflicted police officer who conducts A-Lan's interrogation.
  • Zhao Wei as Classmate in white shirt
  • Jing Ye

See also

References
  1. Van Gelder, Lawrence. "Movies - East Palace, West Palace (1997)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  2. Elley, Derek (1997-05-18). "East Palace, West Palace Review". Variety. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  3. Spencer, Charles (20 February 2009). "An erotic relationship of convenience". The Telegraph. London.
  4. "Festival de Cannes: East Palace, West Palace". festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  5. Elley, Derek (1997-05-18). "East Palace, West Palace Review". Variety. Retrieved 2008-10-24. and IMDB.com article on release dates.
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