The Flowers of War (金陵十三钗), previously called Nanjing Heroes and 13 Flowers of Nanjing,is an upcoming historical drama war film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Christian Bale, Tong Dawei and Shigeo Kobayashi. The film, which is based on the novel The 13 Women of Nanjing by Geling Yan, has been selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Oscar Awards 2012.
Inspired by true life events, THE FLOWERS OF WAR tells a genuine story of hope, love and sacrifice. Set in 1937, Nanking stands at the forefront of a war between China and Japan. As the invading Japanese Imperial Army overruns Chinas capital city, desperate civilians seek refuge behind the nominally protective walls of a western cathedral. Here, John Haufman (Bale), an American trapped amidst the chaos of battle and the ensuing occupation takes shelter, joined by a group of innocent schoolgirls and thirteen courtesans, equally determined to escape the horrors taking place outside the church walls.
Struggling to survive the violence and persecution wrought by the Japanese army, it is an act of heroism which eventually leads the seemingly disparate group to fight back, risking their lives for the sake of everyone. With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, fate always has a way of bringing the most unlikely heroes together.
Based on a screenplay by Heng Liu (Assembly, The Story of Qiu Ju) and adapted by Geling Yans historical novel, THE FLOWERS OF WAR is approximately 40% in English and 60% in Mandarin. The film will have its world premiere in Beijing, China on December 16, 2011.