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Celluloid
Drama Cannes 1993 · Palme d'Or

Farewell My Concubine

Directed by Chen Kaige · 1993 ·

Short answer

Is Farewell My Concubine worth watching?

Yes. Farewell My Concubine (1993) earns an 88% Celluloid Score. That puts it in our Recommended tier. Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one. See the 4 inputs.

88%
Celluloid Score Recommended

4-input transparent breakdown

95% Editorial Rating
95% Audience snapshot · excluded
86 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.4
8.1 IMDb /10
0
Watch Trailer
Released
Runtime
2h 51m
Age rating
R (US) · M (Australia) · 15 (South Korea)
Streaming
Hoopla, MUBI, BFI Player
Country
China
Language
Mandarin

Also known as 霸王别姬 Adiós a mi concubina Adieu ma concubine Lebewohl, meine Konkubine Adeus, Minha Concubina さらば、わが愛／覇王別姫 패왕별희 霸王別姬

🏆 2 nominations

Where to watch

  • Hoopla
  • MUBI
  • BFI Player

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch Farewell My Concubine by country

Country Streaming on
Japan Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, U-NEXT
South Korea TVING
United States Hoopla, MUBI, BFI Player

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (95/100).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (95%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (86/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.4/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8.1/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded drama pick
  • Epic-length viewers who want a big-screen experience

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

    Is Farewell My Concubine worth watching?

    Yes — Farewell My Concubine earns an 88% Celluloid Score. That puts it in our Recommended tier. It suits viewers who want a well-regarded drama pick. Read our full review (4.5/5).

    Celluloid verdict

    Chen Kaige's Palme d'Or winner remains the most acclaimed Chinese film on the world stage.

    , Founder & Editor

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is Farewell My Concubine about?

    Two Beijing opera performers navigate love, art, and political upheaval across fifty years of modern Chinese history.

    Watch the Trailer

    Critic Reviews

    Short review 4 min read English Farewell My Concubine

    Farewell My Concubine (1993) Review: Art Against History

    Farewell My Concubine is Chen Kaige's sweeping Beijing opera epic, a story of two performers whose lifelong bond is tested by half a century of Chinese upheaval.

    Yes. It is a landmark of world cinema and one of the great epics about art and politics, best for patient viewers ready for nearly three hours of melodrama.

    Kaiser Khan Founder & Editor

    Farewell My Concubine stills

    Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

    Farewell My Concubine production still 1
    Farewell My Concubine production still 2
    Farewell My Concubine production still 3
    Farewell My Concubine production still 4
    Farewell My Concubine production still 5
    Farewell My Concubine production still 6

    Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

    Reader takes

    No reader takes published yet. Send yours and we may publish it after editing.

    Farewell My Concubine: frequently asked questions

    Is Farewell My Concubine worth watching?

    Yes. Farewell My Concubine (1993) has a Celluloid Score of 88%, averaged from the available Celluloid editorial, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb ratings. That puts it in our Recommended tier. Audience sentiment is shown separately and does not change the score.

    Where can I watch Farewell My Concubine?

    In the United States, Farewell My Concubine streams on Hoopla, MUBI, BFI Player with a subscription, and you can rent it from Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube. Elsewhere: Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, U-NEXT in Japan; TVING in South Korea. Availability changes; the where-to-watch table on this page is refreshed from TMDB.

    How long is Farewell My Concubine?

    Farewell My Concubine runs 2 hours 51 minutes (171 minutes).

    What is Farewell My Concubine rated?

    Farewell My Concubine is rated R in the United States, M in Australia and 15 in South Korea. These are the official classifications as recorded on TMDB; check your local classification board for content advice.

    Who stars in Farewell My Concubine?

    Farewell My Concubine is directed by Chen Kaige and stars Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li.

    What is the Metascore for Farewell My Concubine?

    Metacritic's Metascore for Farewell My Concubine is 86 out of 100. It is one of the inputs to the Celluloid Score.

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