Raise the Red Lantern poster

Raise the Red Lantern

China, 1920. One master, four wives.

7.9(833)19912h 5m5

In 1920s China, 19-year-old Songlian becomes a concubine of a powerful lord and is forced to compete with his three wives for the privileges gained.

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Status
Released
Budget
$1M
Box office
$16.6M
Language
Mandarin
  • competition
  • marriage
  • romantic rivalry
  • polygamy
  • concubine
  • tragedy
  • wealth
  • period drama
  • intrigue
  • oppression
  • 1920s

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Director

Zhang Yimou

Writers

Ni Zhen

Produced in

China, Hong Kong

Where to watch

All options

Availability for Austria. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.

Gallery

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Videos

Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • Theatrical (limited)Re-release6 Nov 2026
  • United KingdomGB

    • TheatricalPG13 Jan 1992
    • Theatrical (limited)Re-release2 Nov 2026
  • CanadaCA

    • PremiereToronto Film Festival10 Sept 1991
  • BelgiumBE

    • Theatrical13 Feb 1992
  • BrazilBR

    • Physical18Capa do DVD1 Jan 2000
  • ChinaCN

    • Physical4K UHD27 Oct 2026
  • CzechiaCZ

    • Theatrical (limited)15+Non-commercial screenings only5 Mar 1999
  • FranceFR

    • TheatricalU20 Dec 1991
  • GermanyDE

    • Digital / OTT1219 Aug 2013
  • ItalyIT

    • PremiereVenice Film Festival10 Sept 1991
    • Premiere(Milan)17 Dec 1991
    • Theatrical18 Dec 1991
  • NetherlandsNL

    • Theatrical1614 Feb 1992
  • PolandPL

    • Theatrical (limited)22 May 2026

Frequently asked questions

Raise the Red Lantern was released on 18 December 1991.

Audience reviews

2
  • F

    Filipe Manuel Neto

    3/8/2023

    2/10

    **In the context of oriental cinema, it's a good film... but it's very different from the cinema that we, in the West, are used to, and this difference ends up killing our interest in this work.** I think this movie was the first Chinese movie I saw, I'm not really sure. I am not an expert on the cinema of this country, but I can say that it is one of those films that you see without much special interest. Of cour…

  • P

    Priscilla Chu

    6/9/2025

    **Raise the Red Lantern:** Directed by Zhang Yimou, Raise the Red Lantern (大红灯笼高高挂) stands as a seminal work in Chinese cinema, premiering in 1991 and adapted from Su Tong's novel Wives and Concubines. The film achieved international acclaim, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and earning nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film, solidifying its status as a landmark critique …

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