OSMANTHUS ALLEY (4K RESTORATION)

In a patriarchal society governed by superstition and ritual, Ti-hong, an orphaned fisherman’s daughter born with a simian line on her palm, is branded as a woman destined for loneliness. Through her embroidery skills, bound feet and fierce will to survive, she marries into the affluent household of Osmanthus Alley, only to find that wealth offers little escape from desire, moral constraint and emotional exile.

Adapted from HSIAO Li-hung’s bestselling novel, CHEN Kun-hou’s most ambitious production is a sweeping portrait of a Taiwanese woman’s life across nearly seven decades. Filmed in historic Minnan residences in Penghu and richly detailed through period costume and décor, the film vividly recreates upper-class Taiwanese society under early Japanese rule. LU Hsiao-fen delivers a restrained yet devastating performance, transforming from an innocent village girl into a solitary matriarch. This restoration presents the rarely seen original Taiwanese-language version, restoring the cadence, wit and emotional force of WU Nien-jen’s dialogue.