Although fictional, The Flowers of War (Jin líng shí san chai) provides yet another glimse of the horrors of the rape of Nanjing, this time literally. Based on the novel of the same title by Geling Yan and directed by Zhang Yimou, the film begins amid the carnage and chaos of Japan’s attack on China’s capital, including the presumed last battle between Chinese and Japanese soldiers, on-the-spot executions of Chinese, and rapes of women seeking refuge. A variation on the theme of two recent films about John Rabe, a John Miller (played by Christian Bale), trying to find safety, stumbles into a Catholic church that houses 12 early-teen girls and a boy of about the same age, the son of the deceased priest. Soon, prostitutes in their 20s and 30s seek refuge in the church. At first, Miller is drunk, and conflicts arise between the two sets of girls. But heroism dominates the film. A lone Chinese soldier protects the church from lustful Japanese soldiers with sniper fire. Miller puts on clerical garments to pretend to be the priest, and is present when Colonel Hasegawa (played by Atsurô Watabe) arrives to inspect the premises. Hasegawa plays a Japanese folksong on the organ, offers to protect the church, and requests a choral performance by the students to be held a few days later. But when a report of his discovery reaches his commanding officer, Hasegawa has to deliver an order for the young students to sing at a forthcoming celebration of the Nanjing victory. When one of the prostitutes unexpectedly appears, she is the 13th counted by Hasegawa’s immediate subordinate. Although Miller protests, Hasegawa has no alternative but to have the order obeyed. Clearly, the expectation is that all the young girls will be raped. The prostitutes then volunteer to take the places of the young students, but there are only 12 of them, so the priest’s son offers to make the count correct. Miller then prepares them to look like the young girls. There is a truck in the courtyard of the church needing repairs. A Chinese gentleman who has adopted one of the young girls offers to get tools, parts, and a safe conduct pass. Miller then tries to repair the truck. It would, of course, spoil the review to report what happens next. The Political Film Society has nominated The Flowers of War for best film on human rights and best film on peace of 2011. MH