THE LAST EMPEROR (3D) Galas

For the 25th anniversary of the international release of this visually sumptuous epic about the life of Pu Yi (1905-1967) – China’s final sovereign after millennia of dynastic rulers – the film has been given a 4K restoration with re-mastered sound. Personally supervised by director Bernardo Bertolucci (AFI FEST 2012 Guest Artistic Director) and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, depth and dimension have been added with a 3-D conversion that enriches the film’s rare sights; it was the first feature shot in Beijing’s 500-year-old Forbidden City. Four different actors portray Pu Yi, beginning with his ascent to the throne shortly before his third birthday, through the Chinese civil war, occupations by Japan and the Soviet Union, and his rehabilitation by Chinese communists. Renowned actors Peter O’Toole and Joan Chen – not to mention thousands of extras – round out the international cast. Pu Yi’s own brother, Pu Chieh, served as one of the film’s many technical advisors, and the resulting tapestry received nine Academy Awards®, including Best Picture.