Mao’s Last Dancer
“Before you can fly, you have to be free.”
Synopsis
At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he falls in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Mao's Last Dancer - Official HD Trailer by Bruce Beresford
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-06-04
Top Cast
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Bruce Greenwood
Ben Stevenson
Kyle MacLachlan
Charles Foster
Joan Chen
Niang
Chi Cao
Li Cunxin - adult
Amanda Schull
Elizabeth Mackey
Wang Shuangbao
Dia
Aden Young
Dilworth
Jack Thompson
Judge Woodrow Seals
Penne Hackforth-Jones
Cynthia Dodds
Chengwu Guo
Li Cunxin - teenage
Wen Bin Huang
Li Cunxin - boy
Madeleine Eastoe
Lori
Camilla Vergotis
Mary McKendry
Steven Heathcote
Bobby Cordner
Kip Gamblin
David
Christopher Kirby
Mason
Suzie Steen
Betty Lou
Yang Li
Cunmao - 19 yrs
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
August 20, 2010
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$25M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$23.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.96x
-$1.1M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Bruce Beresford
- Screenplay & Story
- Jan Sardi
- Original Score
- Christopher Gordon
- Original Title
- Mao’s Last Dancer
- Country of Origin
- Australia, China
- Spoken Languages
- Mandarin, English
- Runtime
- 1h 57m
- Production Budget
- $25M
- Worldwide Gross
- $23.9M
- Production Studios
- Great Scott Productions Pty. Ltd.
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Bruce Beresford
Jan Sardi, Cunxin Li
Christopher Gordon
Peter James
Mark Warner
Jane Scott, Troy Lum
Department Leadership Roster
Bruce Beresford
Director
Jane Scott
Producer
Anna Borghesi
Costume Design
Mark Warner
Editor
Herbert Pinter
Production Design
Jan Sardi
Screenplay
Peter James
Director of Photography
Christopher Gordon
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Mao’s Last Dancer.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mao’s Last Dancer
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Mao’s Last Dancer about?
At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he falls in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.
Who directed Mao’s Last Dancer?
Mao’s Last Dancer was directed by Bruce Beresford.
Who stars in Mao’s Last Dancer?
The principal cast of Mao’s Last Dancer includes Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan, Joan Chen, Chi Cao, Amanda Schull.
When was Mao’s Last Dancer released and how long is it?
Mao’s Last Dancer was released in 2009 with a total runtime of 1h 57m.
What was the box office and production budget of Mao’s Last Dancer?
Mao’s Last Dancer had a reported production budget of $25M and grossed $23.9M at the worldwide box office (0.96 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Mao’s Last Dancer?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Mao’s Last Dancer was composed by Christopher Gordon.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Mao’s Last Dancer?
Mao’s Last Dancer holds official age classifications: AU: PG (Parental Guidance — Recommended for mature viewers.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).