national allegory

His montage technique and films like Battleship Potemkin use individual narratives and historical events as allegorical representations of national struggle and collective revolution.

His pioneering films use personal and community stories to allegorizally explore post-colonial African identity, independence, and the struggle against imperialism.

His work, particularly films like Raise the Red Lantern and Hero, uses historical and intimate narratives as allegories for Chinese national identity, tradition, and political transformation.