Jail bait

Tragic love between a man and a woman who meet in prison leads the simple yet rich Chinese drama, Phoenix. Beautifully photographed and emotionally engaging, this Mainland melodrama, reportedly based on a true story, concerns the trials of a couple and their three-decade relationship in the early 19th century in China.

The beginning of the film is much like Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption. The cinematography was grand and expressive. It gave a real impression of the sheer magnitude of this daunting prison. Japanese actor Kiichi Nakai (right) and Chinese actress Miao Pu (left) put on bulky prison uniforms to play the two leading characters who meet up in prison and communicate only by their eyes. Their love expands over 35 years through different eras of China.

Director Jin Chen was haunted by an article he read seven years ago, about a prison love story, and could not let go of his urge to put the story on screen. "Maybe it is out of date to talk about real and true love in today's fast-paced world. But the film brings you warmth and hope," Jin said. The real-life lovers on whom the story is based watched the film when it premiered in Nanjing, where the story took place.

Originally named Crossing Over, the film is a co-production by Chinese and Japanese film-makers, which opened the 20th Tokyo International Film Festival in October. It is not only a love story, but also a story celebrating the 35th anniversary of the normalization of ties between Japan and China.

Phoenix showing at cinemas citywide.