Leaving May 1

Directed by Stanley Kwan | 154 mins | 1991
One of the brightest stars of the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema pays tribute to a predecessor from pre-revolutionary Chinese cinema, as Maggie Cheung passionately embodies Ruan Lingyu (1910-1935), the silent screen icon who committed suicide when hounded by privacy-invading tabloids. A masterpiece of the Hong Kong New Wave from Stanley Kwan (soon to become one of the industry’s first openly gay men) this was an international breakout for Cheung, garnering awards at Berlin and beyond.