Ju Dou (1990)

A remarkably powerful and sensuous tragedy, the Oscar-nominated Ju Dou (1990) is credited with kick-starting the careers of Chinese auteur Yimou Zhang and actress Gong Li. Set in the 1920s, the enveloping storyline centers on a silk dyer’s wife (Li) who’s badly abused by her cruel husband. Eventually the woman begins a secret affair with her husband’s nephew--a forbidden act with the potential to incur the monstrous wrath of the abusive dyer. Politically potent and erotically charged, the film features a wealth of engaging scenes with Gong Li, but the heroine remains coyly clothed throughout.