Li-li Li

Biopic of 1930's Chinese actress Ruan Ling Yu. (imdb)

A country girl and her boyfriend arrive in Shanghai for a better life. They soon find only desperation. She is raped and falls into prostitution as he drifts into revolutionary circles. Her access through her trade grants her greater access which she uses to aid her revolutionary lover with tragic results.

Sister Ye lives in a rural village, where everyone makes traditional toys. She is considered the creative mind behind inventing new toys, and all the villagers look up to her. Tragedy strikes, however, when Sister Ye's husband dies of an unknown illness. (wikipedia)

Six young men from the city take jobs on a road crew, building a highway of strategic importance to the Chinese Army. (imdb)

Bai Le De and Hu Lun tung are military cadets. After graduating, Hu Lin Tung is appointed captain of Guangdong headquarters and goes away. Later, Bae Le De is also appointed to a post at the same place. Hu Lun Ting falls in love with Luo Hua, daughter of the local commander. (imdb)

Anthology film containing shorts by 8 Lianhua Studios directors showing off various cinematic styles with a linked patriotic theme.

Young sprinter Lin Ying enrolls in a sports college in Shanghai. As she becomes a sports celebrity, she starts to mangle with the upper class and has gradually forgotten the true essence of sports. (imdb)

This is a silent film from China made in 1931. It is about two leads in a film, Yan (Raymond King) and Ying (Violet Wong). They meet after hearing Ying sing while another movie is being shot. You, of course, don't get to hear the song, but it catches people's attention. Once they meet and work together, they fall in love. Is it forever? (imdb)

A 1935 B&W Chinese movie, with Chinese intertitles. It stars Ruan Lingyu and Lily Li, two of the biggest female stars of the era, and was Ruan Lingyu's final role, being released after her suicide. It was filmed by Kuomintang-aligned Bo Ying Studios. (youtube.com)

Ostensibly a tale of a village attempting to fend off a pack of vicious wolves. In reality, the wolves were a euphemism for the Japanese army who had recently occupied Manchuria. (imdb)

A warlord's nephew lusts for farmer Song Ke's sister. When Song refuses, the whole family is thrown into jail and the sister commits suicide. The father dies of grief and Song lives with his cousin abroad. The warlord's nephew loses power and also escapes to the same country. (imdb)

Set during the Orphan Island period of Shanghai, the film follows a group of revolutionary patriots-cum-assassins who finally earn the support of the suffering public. 'We're all Chinese,' so they repeatedly chant. (letterboxd)

Three stories about art stages. "Film City", "Drama Group" and "Dance Class". (letterboxd)

A film directed by Yuqian Ouyang and starring Li-li Li.