It was released for one week only in SF, LA, and NY for the Oscars. It's China's official submission for Best Foreign Picture.
This year's Oscar movies have been lacking for me. Nothing really stood out for me. I was pleasantly surprised by this film. It's the most expensive Chinese movie ever made, but i would say the movie is 50/50 English/Chinese in terms of the language. From imdb, the story is about "A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety." It was so moving and powerful. I loved the fact that the film is not about the war, but rather the story of these women during this horrific event in China, told from the women's perspective.
The movie is about two and a half hours long, but i never wanted it to end. it's directed by Zhang Yimou, the director of "Hero" and "Curse of the Golden Flower". The cinematography and the score are so awe-inspiring even during the most brutal scenes. I think the entire theatre cried through the last 40 mins of the movie.
I don't want to go into the plot too much, but what the women/prostitutes sacrificed and did for the young girls in the end will stay with you for awhile. Not a dry eye in the house! Definitely try to catch it if you can.

