So Close to Paradise

So Close to Paradise (Chinese: 扁担·姑娘) is a 1998Chinese film directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, a member of Chinese cinema's so-called Sixth Generation. It is alternatively known by the English title Ruan's Song or by its original Chinese title, The Girl From Vietnam (Chinese: 越南來的姑娘; pinyin: Yuènán láide gūniáng). The film was a coproduction of the , and , as such, it is Wang's first major film production within the Chinese studio system. The film's literal title, The Pole-Carrier and the Girl, refers to two of the main characters played by Shi Yu and .

The film follows two migrants, Dong Zi and Gao Ping, as they travel through Wuhan's underground and in the process kidnap a nightclub singer.