''Falling Flowers'' is a 2012 Chinese biographical

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Huo Jianqi Huo Jianqi (; born January 20, 1958) is a Chinese film director. Like the cinematographer turned director Gu Changwei, Huo Jianqi began his cinematic career in the art department. Nearly all of Huo's films have been written by his wife and collabo ...

and written by Yi Fuhai and Su Xiaowei. It stars Song Jia, Huang Jue, Jaco Zhang, and Wang Renjun. The film premiered at the 2012

Shanghai International Film Festival The Shanghai International Film Festival (, French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai''), abbreviated SIFF, is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia. "China's biggest film festival" according to the Hollywood Reporter. Nex ...

, and released in China on March 8, 2013.

Cast

* Song Jia as

Xiao Hong Xiao Hong or Hsiao Hung (1 June 1911 – 22 January 1942) was a Chinese writer. Her ruming (乳名，infant name) was Zhang Ronghua (張榮華). Her xueming (學名，formal name used at school) was Zhang Xiuhuan (張秀環). Her name Zhang Nai ...

, a Chinese writer from

Hulan county Hulan District () is one of nine districts of the prefecture-level city of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. It covers part of the northeastern suburbs. The district was approved to establish from the former ''Hulan C ...

Heilongjiang Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...

Province. ** Wang Xinyi as Little Xiao Hong. *

Huang Jue Huang Jue (, born 7 August 1974) is a Chinese actor. He gained fame for his roles in ''Baobei in Love'' (2004), ''Falling Flowers'' (2012), and ''Fallen City'' (2013). In 2018, Jue has also starred in the films '' Long Day's Journey into Night' ...

Xiao Jun Xiao Jun (, 3 July 1907 – 22 June 1988), born Liu Honglin (), was a Chinese author and intellectual from Linghai, Liaoning, China. Of Manchu ethnicity, Xiao's most famous work in China is his 1934 novel ''Village in August'' () which gain ...

, Xiao Hong's husband. * Jaco Zhang as Luo Binji, a Chinese writer, Xiao Hong's friend. * Wang Renjun as

Duanmu Hongliang Duanmu Hongliang (; 1912–1996), born Cao Jingping (), was a Chinese writer whose works were prominent during the Second Sino-Japanese War and for whom the land and environment were pivotal fictional elements. He was born in Changtu County, Lia ...

, Xiao Hong's best friend and lover. * Wu Chao as Mr. Wang * Li Yiling as Sister * Mi Zi'an as A Xu * Sun Weimin as

Lu Xun Zhou Shuren (25 September 1881 – 19 October 1936), better known by his pen name Lu Xun (or Lu Sun; ; Wade–Giles: Lu Hsün), was a Chinese writer, essayist, poet, and literary critic. He was a leading figure of modern Chinese literature. W ...

. * Zhang Tong as Xu Guangping, Lu Xun's husband. * Teddy as Ni Dalu * Lu Siyuan as Shu Qun * Zhang Weizhi as Xiao Hong's father. * Yang Liping as Xiao Hong's stepmother. * Li Hancheng as Grandfather.

Production

On August 4, 2011, in the

Great Hall of the People The Great Hall of the People is a state building located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the ruling Chinese Co ...

, the

China Film Group Corporation China Film Group Corporation (CFGC), is the largest, most influential film enterprise in the People's Republic of China, owned by the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party. According to ''Forbes'', it is a state monopoly that all ...

announced that

Wang Luodan Wang Luodan () is a Chinese actress and singer. She rose to fame because with the TV series ''Struggle'' (2007). She became increasingly popular after starring in ''My Youthfulness'' (2009) and ''A Story of Lala's Promotion'' (2010). Wang has als ...

had joined the cast as Xiao Hong, but Wang was too busy, she refused to accept the role. On January 4, 2012, Song Jia was cast as Xiao Hong. Filming took place in

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

Harbin Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...

Shenyang Shenyang (, ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), formerly known as Fengtian () or by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a major China, Chinese sub-provincial city and the List of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Lia ...

Jilin Jilin (; alternately romanized as Kirin or Chilin) is one of the three provinces of Northeast China. Its capital and largest city is Changchun. Jilin borders North Korea (Rasŏn, North Hamgyong, Ryanggang and Chagang) and Russia (Prim ...

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...

Chongqing Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...

, and

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

Release

The film premiered in

on May 24, 2012 with wide-release in China on the

International Women's Day International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against wom ...

. In spite of the praise for the lead actress Song Jia's performance as Xiao Hong, the film received generally mix reviews.

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

describes the film as "highly poetic, but lacks drama and warmth."

Accolades

References

External links

* * *
''Falling Flowers''
Sina {{Huo Jianqi 2012 biographical drama films 2012 films Biographical films about writers Chinese biographical drama films Films directed by Huo Jianqi Films shot in Beijing Films shot in Chongqing Films shot in Heilongjiang Films shot in Hong Kong Films shot in Hubei Films shot in Jilin Films shot in Liaoning Films shot in Shanghai Films with screenplays by Si Wu 2012 drama films Xiao Hong