Mao's Last DancerAugust 13, 2019

The true story of Li Cunxin and his journey from rural China to the bright lights of ballet stardom is brought to the screen in this biographical drama from director Bruce Beresford. In 1972, 11-year-old Li Cunxin is living with his parents, Niang and Dia, and six siblings while attending a tumbledown school in Shandog province. Li's life changes when representatives of Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy visit his school, and he is one of several students believed to have promise as a dancer. While life at the school is difficult for Li and many of the instructors are harsh and unforgiving, Chan takes the boy under his wing and grooms him into one of the school's star pupils.

Mao's Last Dancer was broadcast on SBS ONE at Saturday 22 February 2020, 14:50. This episode was initially placed on Tuesday 13 August 2019.