Cast
Director
Mei-Juin Chen
Synopsis
This one-hour documentary traces the rise and fall of Li Xianglan, a.k.a. Shirley Yamaguchi, deftly navigated the clash of nations to become one of Japan and China's biggest movie stars during World War II. A Manchurian born Japanese who could "pass" as Chinese, she was a propagandist's dream. She rose to fame in a series of Japanese romantic melodramas playing the Chinese girl who falls in love with a Japanese man. For a while it worked, but when Japan lost the war her cover was blown and she nearly faced a firing squad. A double life; a dangerous game. Ms Li passed away last September. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. The documentary provides an opportunity to reflect on the lasting impact of that conflict, and how it affects the life of East Asia's most iconic super star.
