Five Golden Flowers

One of the most charming examples of the National Minority film—a genre that emerged from China’s efforts to decentralize its film industry, resulting in a need for local material filled by non-ethnic PRC citizens—Five Golden Flowers follows Ah Peng, from the Bai minority. He is smitten with an elusive young woman named Golden Flower. They plan to meet in a year, but when the date comes, Golden Flower is absent. Ah Peng’s search leads not only to comic misunderstandings and musical interludes, but a celebration of the solidarity of all Chinese people. —Film Society of Lincoln Center