In 1924, young Cheng Dieyi begins training at the Beijing Opera House at the same time as Duan Xiaolou. Cheng specializes in playing female parts, often against Duan’s commanding male leads. Over the next 50 years, the two men maintain a complicated relationship as China undergoes turbulent changes.

Dir. CHÉN KĂIGĒ is a Chinese filmmaker and leading figure in the fifth generation of Chinese directors, known for his visual flair and epic storytelling.