THE CHANTING WILLOWS

On the surface, this film by Dai Wei is a tortuous love triangle, following two female opera singers whose friendship is rent asunder when they compete for the same man. But it comes with cultural pedigree, adapted from a story by Mao Dun Literature Award-winner Wang Xufeng. The Chanting Willows is bedecked with all the beauty of Hangzhou’s famed West Lake and Yue opera. Indeed, this local form of opera is the fourth star of the show: The film takes care to immerse the viewer in the Yue opera world and features over 20 minutes of singing.