Directed by Wayne Wong

Based on the novel by Lisa See about two seven year-old girls living in 19th century China who had their feet bound on the same day and became laotongs. This was a relationship of choice (as opposed to marriage that was arranged for the purpose of producing sons) for life-long emotional companionship. They even learn a secret phonetic script (that has existed for about a thousand years and is believed to be the only written language created by and exclusively for women) so that they could write to each other, using the folds of white silk fans. Even though Lily was from a poor family and Snow Flower from a more privileged one, they continued to correspond through difficult times and changing fortunes.

This story is intercut with the modern day lives of Lily and Snow Flower’s descendants – Nina (Bingbing Li) and Sophia (Gianna Jun) who live in present day Shanghai. Nina and Sophie made a laotong pact when they were children but let their close friendship slide because of work, social demands and hectic lives. When Sophia ends up in a coma after a serious accident, Nina stays by her bedside and reflects on the many parallels they have with their ancestors.

I did not have high expectations of this film as it had been given overwhelmingly bad reviews on a popular film website, but I was fascinated by the Chinese custom of laotong and the secret language that enabled women to support each other during very restrictive times. The film is visually stunning and ancient times occasionally become part of the ever-changing Shanghai landscape. There appear to be fewer constrictions on the lives of modern day women who certainly don’t have to endure the horrors of foot-binding or arranged marriages, but it seems more difficult to maintain eternal fidelity.

Lezly Herbert

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