Breaking with his chronicling of the social history of modern Taiwan, Hou Hsiao-hsien, one of cinema’s modern masters, focuses in this most recent work on the world of late 19th century Shanghai. The film captures in striking detail the complex social network surrounding the so-called "flower houses" or upscale brothels in the British sector of the city and portrays the lives of several "flower girls," who depend on their ability to win and retain the affections of their wealthy clients. Rivaling Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon in the richness of its candle-lit interiors and the brilliance of its cinematography, Flowers of Shanghai has garnered major festival prizes and almost universal critical acclaim.