The Butterfly Lovers (2003): cast, story & where to watch
2003 · Film · ★ 7.3
Released in 2003, The Butterfly Lovers is an animation, adventure and family film directed by Ming Chin Tsai, running about 95 minutes.
What it’s about. An animated re-telling of the classical Chinese story of two lovers, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. Zhu Yingtai was a girl born into an upper-class family during China's Eastern Jin Dynasty. Since women were not allowed to attend school, she begged her family to let her go, and they consented as long as she pretended to be a young man. There she met a handsome young upper-class man named Liang Shanbo. They instantly became friends and vowed to be sworn brothers forever. Yingtai hid her real identity from "Brother Liang" through the three years they studied together at Hangzhou. Her love for him grew to consume her, and she thought of nothing else but spending all of her days with Brother Liang.
Who’s in it. The Butterfly Lovers stars Elva Hsiao as 梁山伯, René Liu as 祝英台 and Jacky Wu Tsung-hsien as 馬文才.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.3/10, The Butterfly Lovers has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Butterfly Lovers page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Butterfly Lovers tend to enjoy Spirited Away, Your Name., Grave of the Fireflies and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Butterfly Lovers (2003)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for The Butterfly Lovers change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is The Butterfly Lovers worth watching?
- The Butterfly Lovers holds an audience score of 7.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy animation, adventure and family. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Butterfly Lovers?
- The Butterfly Lovers stars Elva Hsiao, René Liu and Jacky Wu Tsung-hsien.
- When was The Butterfly Lovers released?
- The Butterfly Lovers was released in 2003, with a runtime of about 95 minutes.