Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

This 2011 new Chinese movie tells a story about the timeless portrait of female friendship between Lily and Snow Flower, and two girls develop their own secret code as a fighting way to the rigid cultural norms for women, in 19th century China.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Poster

Genres: Drama, History
Director: Wayne Wang
Writers: Ron Bass, Angela Workman, Michael Ray
Starring: Gianna Jun, Li Bingbing, Vivian Wu, Jiang Wu, Russell Wong, Coco Chiang, Jingyun Hu, Archie Kao, Chiang Yi
Also Known As: Xuehua yu Mishan
Country: China, USA
Language: English
Release Date: 24 June 2011 (China)
Runtime: 120 min
Official Site: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/snowflowerandthesecretfan/

Plot Summary:
In 19th-century China, seven year old girls Snow Flower and Lily are matched as laotong - or "old sames" - bound together for eternity. Isolated by their families, they furtively communicate by taking turns writing in a secret language, nu shu, between the folds of a white silk fan. In a parallel story in present day Shanghai, the laotong's descendants, Nina and Sophia, struggle to maintain the intimacy of their own childhood friendship in the face of demanding careers, complicated love lives, and a relentlessly evolving Shanghai. Drawing on the lessons of the past, the two modern women must understand the story of their ancestral connection, hidden from them in the folds of the antique white silk fan, or risk losing one another forever. What unfolds are two stories, generations apart, but everlasting in their universal notion of love, hope and friendship.

"Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" Review:
This new Chinese movie adapted from author Lisa See's bestselling novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. The movie themes centered on two pairs of women strive to maintain their enduring bond by exploring their ancestral connection in modern Shanghai. Connected as a Chinese tradition called laotong. One pair live in 1820's China, the other in modern day Shanghai, you will feel like you was watching an old-fashioned Chinese drama and a contemporary movie at the same time. The sense of time passing is palpable. The preciousness of time together is well-illustrated. In this it is different from other films in theatres, and the difference is welcome. A grateful nod to (Chinese-born) producers Wendi Murdoch and Florence Sloan for honoring Chinese traditions, languages, and customs which are so authentically and vibrantly portrayed in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

Imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1541995/

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wlk7TsdhsY