In Honor of the Eternal Star Anita Mui: ‘Rouge: The Original 4K’ Opens in Theaters December 2!

On Wednesday, December 2, audiences will have a special chance to remember Anita Mui, the eternal star of Hong Kong. In honor of the 23rd anniversary of Mui’s death on December 30, 〈Rouge: The Original 4K〉, one of her signature films, will return to theaters for a special engagement at CGV locations nationwide.

〈Rouge: The Original 4K〉 is a fantasy romance that moves between 1930s and 1980s Hong Kong, telling the poignant love story of the courtesan Fleur (Anita Mui) and the young heir Chan Chen-pang (Leslie Cheung). Considered the aesthetic pinnacle of director Stanley Kwan, one of the defining filmmakers of Hong Kong cinema’s golden age, the film made an unusual mark in an era when action and comedy dominated: as a romance, it topped the box office for an extended run.

This re-release is especially meaningful as a tribute screening honoring Anita Mui, who died on December 30, 2003. A singer and actor with an unmistakable presence, Mui was hailed as an icon of her era. In the film, she portrays Fleur, a woman who gives everything for love, with both charisma and delicacy. For her work in the film, she won Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards, the Golden Horse Awards and the Asia-Pacific Film Festival, and also took home the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Original Film Song for the theme song she performed. (The film won six awards in total, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Film Score at the Hong Kong Film Awards.) The tragic yet beautiful romance shared by the two stars, who were close friends, echoes the film: Cheung also died that same year. As the year draws to a close, their story will be a meaningful gift to fans.

〈Rouge: The Original 4K〉 is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Lillian Lee, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Lee is also the author of 〈Farewell My Concubine〉 and 〈Green Snake〉. Combined with Stanley Kwan’s signature, richly aesthetic direction, the film brings together the classical splendor of the 1930s and the melancholy mood of the 1980s in a dreamlike blend. Hailed as “the most beguiling ghost story,” 〉Rouge: The Original 4K〈 has endured across generations, offering longtime fans a deep sense of nostalgia and first-time viewers a precious opportunity to discover the true brilliance of a Hong Kong classic.