In July 1986, Basil Pao joined the multi-national cast and crew in Beijing for the filming of Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor. His principal role in the production was to appear as the young emperor Pu Yi’s father Prince Chun. But he also served as a 3rd Assistant Director and Special Stills Photographer.

This book is a true behind-the scenes look at the making of the epic, now legendary film through the exquisite eye of a photographer who had unlimited access to everyone and everything everywhere. The images feature an international cast of characters contributing to the creation of the masterpiece, from the director, the filmmakers and actors, to the farmers, workers and students from in and around Beijing who had been recruited as extras because they had interesting, often striking faces. It contains over 250 photographs, including some of Pao’s most stunning and iconic images of the film, along with a treasure trove of ‘never-been-seen’ pictures captured during the filming in Beijing and in Italy.

In Pao’s own words: “It is the chronicle of a truly extraordinary experience that completely changed my life.”

Basil Pao is a photographer and graphic designer from Hong Kong who has worked extensively behind the scenes for various film and television productions, notably with the BBC and Michael Palin on numerous travel programs. His stills, travel essays and corporate works have been published widely around the world.