THE LAST GOLDEN LOTUS: The Secrets of Chinese Footbinding

Synopsis

Shirley, a cosmopolitan city dweller takes us from modern and thriving Shanghai on a search of one of the last great mysteries of her childhood: the fabled "Golden Lotus" - the women with bound feet. Following the red thread of her journey, we plunge into the distant past of classical China to find the four last surviving "Golden Lotus" - the last testimonials of a quintessential ideal of beauty practiced by over 2 billion women for nearly 1000 years in the Middle Kingdom. As the hidden secrets are revealed, the film touches upon broader, universal issues like the tensions between modernity and tradition, erotic and nuptial ideals and the role of women in society. Stemming from a personal quest, it unveils a well-concealed and disappearing cultural phenomenon and it ends with a touching accident... A profoundly humane and respectful approach to the truth behind one of China's last great secrets: the Lotus feet!