Shadow Magic

The story

Beijing, 1902: an enterprising young portrait photographer named Liu Jinglun, keen on new technology, befriends a newly-arrived Englishman who's brought projector, camera, and Lumière-brothers' shorts to open the Shadow Magic theater. Liu's work with Wallace brings him conflict with tradition and his father's authority, complicated by his falling in love with Ling, daughter of Lord Tan, star of Beijing's traditional opera. Liu sees movies as his chance to become wealthy and worthy of Ling. When the Shadow Magic pair are invited to show the films to the Empress Dowager, things look good. But, is disaster in the script? And, can movies preserve tradition even as they bring change?

Cast

J Jared HarrisRaymond X Xia YuLiu Jing Lun L Liu PeiqiMaster Ren L Lü LipingMadame Ren Y Yufei XingTan Xiaoling J Jingming WangLao Liu L Li YushengLord Tan Y Yukui ZhangLao Chang C Chen ChuangMi Hu Q Qi MuJewelry Tower F Fang QingzhuoWidow Jiang L Li BinEmpress Ci Xi

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Z Zhang KangHai Kuan S Song Wen-HuaSan Boro C Chen XueyinChief Eunich W Wang LidaHead Employee Z Zhang XunShowcase Lee Y Yang Fu SenString Master M Ma QiFat Comedian T Tong Lian ShengLean Comedian T Tang LiangManchurian Lady J Jang JieManchurian Man