Golden era lacks silver-screen luster

Director Ann Hui's biopic of writer Xiao Hong fails to shine at the box office. Liu Wei reports.

While The Golden Era has ranked among the most discussed films online this month, its box-office performance has been less than glittering.

Hong Kong director Ann Hui's three-hour docudrama about Xiao Hong, a woman writer who died 72 years ago, features 30 A-listers including Tang Wei as the lead, bold sex scenes and refined production.