Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

Zhang Yimou's controversial adaptation of Tóng Zhōngguì's novel is the story of a concubine's daily trials in 1920s China. Her position means she must share her needs with a number of other women, most of whom are hungry for the master's attention and the benefits it brings. The treatment of the women is justified by tradition even when it's clearly immoral and outdated.
The film is pure art. Every shot, particularly the external locations, aren't just eye candy, they're imbued with a real sense of history and a richness of character. It helps that Chinese period architecture is so beautiful, but it takes someone like Yimou to translate the hidden depths to the screen.
Gong Li plays nineteen-year-old Songlian, the lead role, and delivers the best performance I've ever seen her give.

4 power struggles out of 5