Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Two sets of women across centuries deal with friendship drama, foot-binding woes, and Shanghai struggles, linked only by a fan and questionable life choices.

🍿 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Bond Across Centuries

The film interweaves two parallel stories of female friendship set centuries apart in China. In 19th-century Hunan, seven-year-old Lily is matched as *laotong*, or “old same,” with Snow Flower, a girl born on the same day. This ancient custom binds them as sisters for life, a relationship often considered more significant than marriage.

Secret Language on a Fan

Isolated by the rigid social norms and expectations placed upon women, Lily and Snow Flower develop a unique way to communicate. They exchange messages written in *nu shu*, a secret phonetic script used exclusively by women, inscribed on the folds of a silk fan. This fan becomes a vessel for their deepest thoughts, feelings, and shared experiences.

Modern Reflections in Shanghai

In present-day Shanghai, descendants Nina and Sophia share a fiercely close bond, mirroring the *laotong* relationship of their ancestors. Their lives are marked by the pressures of modern careers, complicated personal relationships, and the rapid changes of their city. The film explores whether their contemporary friendship can withstand similar tests of loyalty and understanding faced by Lily and Snow Flower.

The Test of Time and Circumstance

The parallel narratives explore the challenges faced by both pairs of friends. In the 19th century, Lily and Snow Flower’s bond is tested by arranged marriages that dramatically alter their social statuses—Lily marries into wealth, while Snow Flower marries a butcher. Their lives diverge in unexpected ways, creating misunderstandings and strain on their connection.

Misunderstandings and Distance

In the 19th-century story, a significant misunderstanding arises when Lily publicly shuns Snow Flower during a visit, influenced by her new family’s disapproval. This act of betrayal creates a deep rift between the two friends, severing their communication for years despite their lifelong vow. Their secret fan and *nu shu* letters become symbols of their fractured bond.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Lily / Nina (Bingbing Li): Portrays both Lily, a girl of lower status navigating traditional marriage and a reversal of fortune, and Nina, a modern career woman navigating a strained friendship in Shanghai.
• Snow Flower / Sophia (Jun Ji-hyun (as Gianna Jun)): Plays both Snow Flower, a girl of higher status whose fortune reverses, and Sophia, a modern artist in a challenging friendship, connected by an ancestral laotong bond.
• Aunt (Vivian Wu): A significant figure in the 19th-century narrative, representing the traditions and societal expectations that shape the girls’ lives.
• Lily’s Mother (Danping Shen): Lily’s mother who rigorously enforces foot binding and arranges her marriage according to societal norms.
• Snow Flower’s Mother (Yulan Xu): Snow Flower’s mother who manages her daughter’s life and marriage prospects amidst their family’s declining circumstances.
• Foot Binder (Shiming Wang): Represents the painful and restrictive practice of foot binding, a crucial experience shared by the 19th-century protagonists.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Nina: “The world is always changing. Every day it’s changing. Everything in life is changing. We have to look inside ourselves to find what stays the same, such as loyalty, our shared history and love for each other. In them, the truth of the past lives on.” – Spoken in voice-over as Nina reflects on the rapid changes in modern Shanghai and the enduring nature of deep connections.
• Lily: “We are laotong, ‘old sames’. Sisters for life.” – Said by young Lily to Snow Flower, formalizing their sacred bond of lifelong friendship in 19th-century China.
• Snow Flower: “This nu shu is our language, our secret world that men cannot enter.” – Explaining the significance of the women’s secret writing on the fan, emphasizing their private means of communication and solidarity.
• Nina: “Sometimes you don’t realize how important someone is until they’re gone.” – Reflecting on her strained relationship with Sophia after her accident, highlighting the regret of taking their bond for granted.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $6,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $1,348,205
• Worldwide Gross: $11,348,205

💥 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Reviews

Personal Review

Watching this movie felt like stepping into a different world, twice! I was really drawn into the 19th-century story of Snow Flower and Lily and their secret language on the fan. It was heartbreaking to see the hardships they faced, especially the foot-binding, but their bond was so powerful. The modern story with Nina and Sophia didn’t resonate quite as much with me initially, but seeing the parallels and how their friendship was tested in a different way was interesting. I loved how the film used visuals and music to create a really emotional atmosphere, even if the pacing was slow at times. It made me think a lot about the enduring strength of female friendships.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of historical dramas and period pieces”
  • “Viewers interested in Chinese history and culture”
  • “Audiences who appreciate stories about deep female friendships”
  • “Readers of the book by Lisa See (with awareness of adaptation differences)”
  • “Those looking for a visually rich and emotionally resonant film”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Depictions of foot binding (can be difficult to watch)”
  • “Themes of restrictive social norms and patriarchal society”
  • “Emotional intensity and themes of loss and misunderstanding”
  • “A car accident scene”

Professional Reviews

• Adapted from User Review: “This film beautifully intertwines stories of women’s friendship across time. While perhaps slow-paced for some, its strength lies in portraying the deep bonds and challenges faced by women, both historically and in modern Shanghai. The visuals and score are standout elements that truly enhance the emotional journey.
• Adapted from User Review: “A visually striking movie that attempts to bridge centuries through parallel friendships. The historical segments, particularly those touching on foot-binding and ‘nu shu’, are compelling. However, the modern story feels less impactful, and the constant jumping between timelines can sometimes disrupt the narrative flow. A mixed but often poignant experience.

Audience Reactions

Many viewers appreciated the focus on deep, lifelong female friendships.: The cinematography, historical setting, and musical score were widely praised for their beauty and emotional impact, even among those who found the narrative uneven or preferred the book.

The historical plotline, particularly the ‘nu shu’ language and foot-binding, was often found more compelling than the modern one.: The dual timelines were a point of discussion; some found them confusing or detrimental to character connection, while others thought they effectively highlighted the themes across time.

Overall Consensus: A beautiful but sometimes criticized adaptation, often praised for its visual and emotional portrayal of female friendships and historical details, though the parallel modern story and pacing received mixed reactions.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp owned Fox Searchlight at the time, personally requested that the film be released in North America.”
• “The same lead actresses, Bingbing Li and Gianna Jun, played the corresponding characters in both the 19th-century and modern-day storylines to visually emphasize the parallel connections.”
• “Korean actress Gianna Jun had to learn Mandarin for her role, and reviews noted some scenes required dubbing due to language challenges.”
• “Hugh Jackman appears in a cameo role as a love interest in the modern storyline; his scene included singing a song partly in Mandarin, which was noted by reviewers for its mixed success.”

🖥️ How to Watch Snow Flower and the Secret Fan?

To watch ‘Snow Flower and the Secret Fan’, you can often find it available for rent or purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies & TV, and Vudu. Check these major digital storefronts for the most current viewing options.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, you might like these similar films:

• The Joy Luck Club (1993): Directed by the same filmmaker, Wayne Wang, it also explores the complex relationships between Chinese women across generations, focusing on mother-daughter bonds and cultural identity.
• Memoirs of a Geisha (2005): Features a visually rich historical Asian setting and depicts the lives of women navigating rigid social structures and finding strength and complicated bonds of sisterhood within their constrained world.
• Raise the Red Lantern (1991): A powerful film set in historical China that starkly portrays the oppressive patriarchal system and the lives of women confined by tradition, showing their struggles and complex interactions.
• Beaches (1988): While set in a different culture and era, this movie is a classic depiction of an intense, lifelong female friendship that endures through significant life changes, conflicts, and sacrifices, mirroring the core theme.
• Farewell My Concubine (1993): An epic historical drama set in China that explores intense, complex relationships navigating significant historical upheaval and social constraints, offering a deeper dive into Chinese history and personal bonds.

🛒 Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Related Products

• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (The Novel): The acclaimed historical novel by Lisa See that inspired the film, offering a deeper dive into the lives of Lily and Snow Flower and the world of ‘nu shu’.
• Chinese Silk Folding Fan: A beautifully crafted silk folding fan, similar to those used by Lily and Snow Flower to write ‘nu shu’ messages.
• Documentary on Nu Shu or Foot Binding: Explore the real history and cultural context behind the ‘nu shu’ language or the practice of foot binding through an informative documentary.
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Movie Poster: A high-quality print of the movie’s theatrical poster featuring the main characters.

🎧 Soundtrack

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” – performed by Rachel Portman
• “Laotong” – performed by Rachel Portman
• “Writing on the Fan” – performed by Rachel Portman
• “Lily’s Marriage” – performed by Rachel Portman
• “Coming Home” – performed by Rachel Portman

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Tribute.ca Interview with Li Bing Bing and Wendi Murdoch

Curious about the making of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan? You gotta watch this quick interview with the film’s lead actress and producer – hearing their personal insights about the movie is really fascinating!

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