Special features: Behind the scenes; The Birth of The Flowers of War; Meeting Christian Bale; The Newborn stars; Hard time during war; Perfection of light and color.

Based on the novel by Yan Geling.

Director of photography, Zhao Xiaoding ; music by Qigang Chen ; edited by Meng Peicong.

Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi, Huang Tianyuan, Han Xiting, Zhang Doudou, Tong Dawei, Cao Kefan, Atsuro Watabe.

The dangerous streets of Nanjing throw together a group of opposites, a flock of shell-shocked schoolchildren, a dozen seductive courtesans, and a renegade American posing as a priest to save his own skin, or so he thinks, all seeking safety behind a walled cathedral. Trapped by marauding soldiers, over the next few days the prejudices and divides between them will fall away as they unite around a last ditch plan to protect the children from impending catastrophe.

Rated R ; for strong violence including a sexual assault, disturbing images and brief strong language.

DVD.

In English or Mandarin dialogue with English or Spanish subtitles.

Closed-captioned for the hearing impaired.