East Palace, West Palace

Zhang Yuan's 1996 film covers a night-long conversation between a young gay man detained in a park and the policeman interrogating him. As the questioning goes on the roles shift, and the questions begin exposing the policeman's own reactions. The film takes place almost entirely in one location, between two people. It is about the relationship between desire and power as much as about the interrogation; the question of who is controlling whom does not stay settled. Hu Jun and Si Han carry the two roles. It is counted as the first feature in Chinese cinema to address homosexuality openly. Zhang Yuan was among the independent directors working without official permission; because of this film his passport was confiscated and he could not attend the screening at Cannes. Who it's for: those interested in Chinese independent cinema and the history of queer film. Who it's not for: viewers wanting an active narrative; the film is almost entirely dialogue and the pace is low.