Saturday Fiction

Shanghai, 1941. The city is occupied and has become the working ground of the intelligence services. Jean Yu, a celebrated actress, returns to appear in a play directed by her former lover. Or is that why she came? Freeing her ex-husband, gathering intelligence for the Allies, or getting out of the war altogether are all possible. As the job proceeds it stops being clear who anybody is; friends and agents sit at the same table. Jean Yu ends up holding information about the coming attack on Pearl Harbor and has to decide whether to pass it on. Lou Ye shot the film in black and white, and the rehearsals of the play keep bleeding into real life. Gong Li takes the lead.