Christian Bale stars in the dramatic film The Flowers of War, set in 1937 during World War II and based on the story of the Nanjing Massacre (also known as the Rape of Nanjing). Bale takes on the role of an American priest who helps shelter prostitutes and students during the invasion of Nanjing by Japanese soldiers. The film is China’s official entry this year in Oscar’s foreign language category, and the trailer’s impressive enough to warrant some awards attention. And coming off his first Oscar win, Bale once again demonstrates why he’s considered among the best actors of his generation.
Bale shot The Flowers of War before donning his Batman costume again for Christopher Nolan’s final Batman film as director, The Dark Knight Rises.
Directed by Zhang Yimou, The Flowers of War is China’s most expensive production to date. The Flowers of War is based on Geling Yan’s historical novel, 13 Flowers of Nanjing, which tells the story of the Japanese army’s atrocities during the December 1937 invasion in which they raped and killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians.
Watch the trailer:
