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The Flowers of War

The Flowers of War

Fighting for freedom.

20117.42h 26m

Overview

A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.

Directed by Zhang Yimou
Written by Liu Heng, Yan Geling
Produced by Zhang Weiping
Box OfficeBudget: $94.0MRevenue: $95.3M

Top Cast

Christian Bale

Christian Bale

John Miller

Ni Ni

Ni Ni

Yu Mo

Tong Dawei

Tong Dawei

Major Li

Zhang Xinyi

Zhang Xinyi

Shujuan Meng

Shigeo Kobayashi

Shigeo Kobayashi

Lt. Kato

Atsuro Watabe

Atsuro Watabe

Colonel Hasegawa

Shawn Dou

Shawn Dou

Chinese Soldier

Paul Schneider

Paul Schneider

Terry

Cao Kefan

Cao Kefan

Mr. Meng

Huang Tianyuan

Huang Tianyuan

George Chen

Themes & Keywords

rapebased on novel or bookbrothelbased on true storyatrocityprostitutionforced prostitutionnanking massacre china 1937japanese occupation of china

About The Flowers of War

The Flowers of War is a drama, history, war film released in 2011 exploring themes of rape, based on novel or book, brothel, based on true story, atrocity, prostitution. Directed by Zhang Yimou, it stars Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Tong Dawei. A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.

Movies Similar to The Flowers of War

Discover titles like The Flowers of War — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Flowers of War

If you enjoyed The Flowers of War, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Flowers of War.

City of Life and Death
30% Match

In 1937, during the height of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Imperial Japanese Army has just captured Nanjing, then-capital of the Republic of China. What followed was known as the Nanking Massacre, or the Rape of Nanking, a six week period wherein tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed.

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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.

Les Misérables
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An adaptation of the successful stage musical based on Victor Hugo's classic novel set in 19th-century France. Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a relentless policeman named Javert. The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and soon Valjean finds himself in the midst of the student revolutions in France.

Dead to Rights
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During the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, a postman poses as a photo developer, helping Japanese forces while secretly sheltering Chinese refugees. He later risks his life evacuating them and revealing evidence of the atrocities.

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Savior(1998)

Movie7.2/10

A hardened mercenary in the Foreign Legion begins to find his own humanity when confronted with atrocities during the fighting in Bosnia.

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Inspired by true events, this film takes place in Rwanda in the 1990s when more than a million Tutsis were killed in a genocide that went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the world. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina houses over a thousand refuges in his hotel in attempt to save their lives.

Empire of the Sun
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Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him.

Nanking
24% Match

Nanking(2007)

Movie7.1/10

The story of the rape of Nanking, one of the most tragic events in history. In 1937, the invading Japanese army murdered over 200,000 and raped tens of thousands of Chinese. In the midst of this horror, a small group of Western expatriates banded together to save 250,000. Nanking shows the tremendous impact individuals can make on the course of history.

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New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.

Love Strange Love
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A man remembers forty-eight crucial hours in his life when, as a child, he visited his mother, the favorite woman of an important politician, in a bordello owned by him, right before some important political changes in 1937 Brazil. In those hours, he discovers his own sexuality.

The Lost Bladesman
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During the warring period of the three kingdoms, ancient China is in turmoil. To unify the country, general Cao Cao, the real power behind the Emperor, enlists the aid of the greatest warrior in the land, Guan Yu. However, Guan Yu is a loyal friend of Cao Cao's enemy Liu Bei so to persuade the peerless warrior to fight, Cao Cao takes his beloved Qi Lan hostage. After leading Cao Cao's forces to victory Guan Yu sets out with Qi Lan to rejoin Liu Bei. Now Cao Cao has deemed him too great a threat to live, and on the journey he must face all the forces at the Emperor's command sent to destroy him.