A Soul Haunted by Painting

This true story depicts the life of Chinese painter Pan Yuliang (Gong Li), who rose from prostitution to become an acclaimed Paris artist. The film follows Pan from age 12, when she's working at a brothel, to her eventual success in the City of Lights. In between, she has an affair with married Zanhua (Derek Yee) and studies art at a famed institute, but Pan's work isn't appreciated until after her affair ends and she moves to art-friendly Paris.