Sacrifice | Overview & Details

Starring: Ge Yu, Huang Xiaoming, Fan Bing-Bing, Zhang Xue-Qi, Vincent Zhao, Hai Qing

Director/s: Chen Kaige

Written By: Chen Kaige

Produced By: Qin Hong, Chen Hong

Written and directed by master filmmaker Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) and set during the opulent Yuan Dynasty in the 5th century B.C., SACRIFICE is the story of a newborn prince whose entire family, the Zhao clan, is wiped out by a rival general who ruthlessly seizes the throne. An ordinary man, the doctor who delivers the baby, gives up everything dearest to him to save the last young survivor in the bloodline of the noble Zhao, and secretly raises the child as his own. But the doctor, played impeccably by acclaimed actor Ge You, has devised his own plot for revenge and makes the cold-blooded General, Tu Angu, the boy’s godfather, allowing the would-be-King to infiltrate the royal palace as a guest. When the boy becomes a man, he must choose between two fathers, while the destiny of a nation rests with his decision.
SACRIFICE is a sweeping story rich with suspense, humanity and emotion, featuring outstanding performances by some of China’s great actors including the beloved Ge You (Farewell My Concubine), Wang Xue-Qi (Forever Enthralled), Fan Bing-Bing, Zhang Feng-Yi and Huang Xiaoming. SACRIFICE was the number one film in the China for two weeks and is based on the classic play Orphan of Zhao, written by Ji Jun-Xiang, which was the first Chinese play known to Europe.

ABOUT THE CAST:

GE YOU (as Cheng Ying), born to actor parents who both worked in film, began to follow in their footsteps when he was chosen to work with China's National Drama Troupe after that country's Cultural Revolution. Ge You first made an impression in a supporting role as one of the travelers in director Teng Wenji's seriocomic adventure THE BALLAD OF YELLOW RIVER (1989), winning China's Golden Rooster Award for Best Supporting Actor. His subsequent work in film has been sporadic but impressive, a flair for irony and a deadpan style lending a low-key credence to drama and a mature sense of satire to comedy. Ge You first received international attention as the androgynous aesthete Master Yuan in Chen Kaige's lavish, controversial period drama of homoeroticism in the Peking Opera, Farewell, My Concubine (1993). Ge You then teamed with director Zhang Yimou for TO LIVE (1994). Ge You's intelligent, subtle acting won him the Best Actor Award at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. Ge You is considered by many to be one of the most recognizable acting personalities in the Mainland China. His success with major comedy roles made him a well known name throughout Mainland China. Some highlights of his filmography include FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, TO LIVE, BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, BIG SHOT’S FUNERAL, A WORLD WITHOUT THIEVES and LET THE BULLETS FLY.
HUANG XIAOMING (as Huang Jue), born 13 November 1977 in Qingdao, Shandong. He is a Chinese actor, model, and singer. He is most well-known for playing the lead character "Yang Guo" in the successful 2006 TV series “The Return of the Condor Heroes”.
Huang graduated from the Performance Institute of the Beijing Film Academy in 2000 and first rose to prominence in 2003 by playing the role of the protagonist in three TV dramas released in China. Other highlights of his filmography include the popular TV drama DA HAN TIAN ZI, THE BANQUET by Director Feng Xiao-Gang, THE SNIPER by Dante Lam, THE MESSAGE by Chen Kuo-Fu, and IP MAN 2 by Wilson Yip.
FAN BING-BING (as Princess Zhuang) was born and raised in Qingdao, Shandong. She graduated from Shanghai Xie Jin's Star School and Shanghai Theatre Academy. In 1997, Fan rose to stardom for her supporting role as Jin Suo in the Taiwanese television drama “Princess Pearl” and its sequel in 1998. Over the next few years, through appearances in many films and television dramas, she became one of the more well-known actresses in Mainland China. After achieving success in her acting career, Fan also released albums, posed for magazine covers and became a spokesperson for several commercial brands. In
2007, Fan started her own studio, Fan Bingbing Workshop. The studio's first television production was “Rouge Snow”, followed by “Jin Da Ban De Zuihou Yiye” in 2008. Fan started an arts school in Huairou, Beijing, and served as its principal, but the school was actually run by her parents. She also became the leader of the acting team of West Movie Group's arts center, and was popularly referred to as "China's Monica Bellucci". In 2010, Fan was ranked 10th in the Forbes China Celebrity 100. She also appeared on the Shanghai International Film Festival's red carpets in 2010. Some highlights of her filmography include CALL FOR LOVE, SHINJUKU INCIDENT, SOPHIE’S REVENGE, WHEAT, BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS, FUTURE X-COPS and CHONGGING BLUES.
WANG XUE-QI (as Tu Angu) is a Chinese film actor whose career has spanned over 25 years. He was often cast in early Fifth Generation films, such as Chen Kaige's YELLOW EARTH (1984) and THE BIG PARADE (1986), Huang Jianxin's SAMSARA, and Zhang Yimou's CODENAME COUGAR (1989). He has since carved out a niche in the Chinese market as a character actor. He has recently appeared in award-winning roles in FOREVER ENTHRALLED (2008) and BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS (2009). Wang has also directed one film, SUN BIRD, which he screenwriter Yang Liping also co-directed. The film won a Special Grand Prize of the Jury at the Montreal World Film Festival.
ZHANG FENG-YI (as Gongsun Chujiu), born September 1, 1956, is a Chinese actor most famous for his role in FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE starring as a Chinese stage actor dealing with China's changing political climate and the affections of his singing partner. Other notable roles have been his interpretations of the would-be assassin Jing Ke in the film THE EMPEROR AND THE ASSASSIN and the warlord Cao Cao in the two-part film RED CLIFF. Zhang was born in Changsha, Hunan province. He left high school without completing study in 1971, and entered Chinese Opera team of art group in Dongchuan. He transferred to Singing and Dancing team in 1973. In 1978, he was enrolled into the acting department of Beijing Film Academy with excellent grades. In 1980, when he was a sophomore, he was selected by Hong Kong Phoenix Studio and acted as Xin Dalei in the movie TREASURE HUNTING IN DESERT, which was his debut in movie industry. In 1981, acting as Xiangzi, he gave excellent performance in RICKSHAW BOY, adapted from Lao She's masterpiece and directed by Ling Zifeng. Ever since, he became a renowned young actor in China.
VINCENT ZHAO (as Zhao Shuo) is a Chinese actor and martial artist. Zhao is best known playing the role of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung in the Once Upon a Time in China film and television series. Vincent Zhao was born in Haierbin, China. In 1990, he was accepted by Beijing Sport University to study martial arts. Zhao started his acting career in 1992, when Hong Kong film producer Corey Yuen went to Beijing Sport University to find a martial artist to play a role in the film FONG SAI-YUK. After this film, Vincent replaced Jet Li and played in the highly popular film ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA. He has worked on a lot of Hong Kong martial arts films, highlighted by BODY WEAPON, FIST POWER, SEVEN SWORDSMEN, TRUE LEGEND and TV series THE MASTER OF TAI CHI.
HAI QING (as Cheng Ying’s wife), born in 1978, graduated from Beijing Film Academy, is currently one of the most famous TV actresses in mainland China. She has grown popular with audiences for appearance in several popular TV series including “Dwelling Narrowness”, “Good Times of Daughters-in-Law” and “Double-Sided Tape”.

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Genre/s: Action  Drama 

Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films

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M.P.A.A. Rating: Rated R

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