Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan (second from left) and Lady Linda Wong Davies (third from left) at the screening of The Goddness

During this year's Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), local audiences have the opportunity to see the peerless beauty of the late famed Shanghai actress Ruan Lingyu (1910-35) by watching the restored versions of two Chinese silent films in which she starred, and which were made in Shanghai. One is The Goddess (1934) and the other is Love and Duty (1931).

As one of China's most legendary film stars, she acted in 29 films, but due to the delicate quality of the film reels at the time, only nine of these, including the two above ones, survived.

On Sunday, the restored version of The Goddess was screened at the Studio No.5 of Shanghai Film Museum on Caoxi Road North, the former location of Lianhua Film Company, which made The Goddess 80 years ago.

In the 1930s, Lianhua was a dominant Chinese film production company based in Shanghai and made lots of classics of Chinese cinema history. Ruan was one of their big stars at that time.

Supported by the KT Wong Foundation and China Film Archive (CFA), the restored version of The Goddess features a brand-new score by Chinese composer Zou Ye, which was performed live by the Shanghai Light Music Orchestra alongside the film.

CFA started the digital restoration project in 2012. However, due to technical limitations at the time, CFA felt the restoration didn't do the film justice and a second round of restoration began in 2013, which was finished at the start of this year.

Regarded as the pinnacle of Chinese silent films, The Goddess follows the life of a single mother living in Shanghai, who has to work as a prostitute in order to support her son and give him a better future.

However, misfortune and humiliation are constants of her life, and she is eventually jailed after accidentally killing a man who stole all her money.

A poster of The Goddess

A scene from the movie Photos: Courtesy of KT Wong Foundation

According to the composer Zou Ye, the new score merges various melodies from traditional Chinese operas in South China, which include Yueju Opera, Huju Opera and also Kunqu Opera. The music complements Ruan's acting perfectly.

Lady Linda Wong Davies, founder of the KT Wong Foundation, told the Global Times that The Goddess is a good example of early Chinese silent film, and that the character of Ruan displays universal values relevant to all women.

"It tells of how a woman struggled in a society which was unfair to her, how a single mother devoted all she had to her child. I believe this can arouse sympathy among people around the world," Wong said.

The director of CFA, Sun Xianghui, said The Goddess not only reflects the directorial technique and acting at the very beginning of Chinese cinema, but it also evokes feelings of sympathy for Ruan.

After Shanghai, The Goddess will continue on its journey with the KT Wong Foundation to Paris. Its European premiere will be held there on June 24.

As well as The Goddess, another 14 Chinese films that are themed around Chinese women will also be screened there.

On Thursday and Friday, also at the Studio No.5 of Shanghai Film Museum, the restored version of Love and Duty will be screened.

The film, also starring Ruan, tells the story of a Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai who bravely ran from her arranged marriage and pursued her true love.