Red Sorghum
红高粱
Synopsis
An old leper who owned a remote sorghum winery dies. Jiu'er, the wife bought by the leper, and her lover, identified only as "my Grandpa" by the narrator, take over the winery and set up an idealized quasi-matriarchal community headed by Jiu'er. When the Japanese invaders subject the area to their rule and cut down the sorghum to make way for a road, the community rises up and resists as the sorghum grows anew.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Hong gao liang/Red Sorghum/Sorgo Rojo
Type: Trailer • Published 2008-07-22
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Hong Kong International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 10, 1988
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 30, 1993
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Zhang Yimou
- Screenplay & Story
- Chen Jianyu, Mo Yan, Zhu Wei, Li Kezhi
- Original Score
- Zhao Jiping
- Original Title
- 红高粱
- Country of Origin
- China
- Spoken Languages
- Japanese, Mandarin
- Runtime
- 1h 31m
- Production Studios
- Xi'an Film Studio
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Zhang Yimou
Chen Jianyu, Mo Yan, Zhu Wei, Li Kezhi
Zhao Jiping
Gu Changwei, Lun Yang
Du Yuan
Wu Tianming
Department Leadership Roster
Zhang Yimou
Director
Chen Jianyu
Writer
Gu Changwei
Director of Photography
Zhao Jiping
Original Music Composer
Wu Tianming
Producer
Zhu Wei
Writer
Du Yuan
Editor
Li Kezhi
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Red Sorghum.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Asian Cinema
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柏林电影节金熊奖
Berlinale Film Festival Golden Bear 柏林国际电影节历届金熊奖获奖影片。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:43:29 UTC+8)*
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
War: World War II
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Food
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Frequently Asked Questions About Red Sorghum
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Red Sorghum about?
An old leper who owned a remote sorghum winery dies. Jiu'er, the wife bought by the leper, and her lover, identified only as "my Grandpa" by the narrator, take over the winery and set up an idealized quasi-matriarchal community headed by Jiu'er. When the Japanese invaders subject the area to their rule and cut down the sorghum to make way for a road, the community rises up and resists as the sorghum grows anew.
Who directed Red Sorghum?
Red Sorghum was directed by Zhang Yimou.
Who stars in Red Sorghum?
The principal cast of Red Sorghum includes Gong Li, Jiang Wen, Teng Rujun, Liu Ji, Qian Ming.
When was Red Sorghum released and how long is it?
Red Sorghum was released in 1988 with a total runtime of 1h 31m.
Who composed the musical score for Red Sorghum?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Red Sorghum was composed by Zhao Jiping.
Is Red Sorghum based on a book or true story?
Red Sorghum is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Mo Yan".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Red Sorghum?
Red Sorghum holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.).