Banned in China as "unsuitable for viewing," "Les filles du botaniste (The Botanist's Daughters — released in Japan as 'Chugoku no Shokubutsugakusha no Musumetachi')" is a luscious, languid tale of forbidden love in 1980s China.
It's directed by French-educated Sijie Dai, one of China's most formidable novelists, who often depicts the struggles of youth during the Cultural Revolution. His film work is marked by literary undertones — references to poetry and fiction crop up, and some dialogue is delivered with oratorial flourish. Combined with the director's rich, sensual visuals, the overall effect is devastatingly romantic.
"Les Filles" was shot in Vietnam's famed beauty spot Ha Long Bay and Hanoi (Dai wasn't allowed to film inside China) and the frames seem drenched in a moist sheen. They are composed of long, lingering closeups and focus on a slight parting of the lip or tears poised on the edge of eyelashes.