Set in a remote mountainous region of southern China, the film is about a Hani tribe girl, Ruoma (Li Min) who dreams of seeing the outside world. Ruoma lives with her grandma and sells roasted corn in a market for fifty cents an ear. Beautifully attired in Hani ethnic clothing, she by chance catches the eye of a penniless photographer, Aming (Yang Zhigang). They soon becoming friends and he gets the idea of making money by having her pose with tourists beside a famous World Heritage site. Charging ten yuan per photo, they hope to make some money. Ruoma does her job well, sweetly smiling with the tourists while dreaming of going to the big city and riding in a glass elevator. She also falls in love with Aming.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
10 people
Zhang Jiarui Director · Jiazong Meng Writer Zhou Ying Editor
Worldwide gross $5.8K · United States release March 4, 2004 · Produced in China
Box office
Worldwide gross
$5,785
Production
China
Produced in
Languages
Original title
婼玛的十七岁
Original language
Chinese
Spoken on screen
Chinese
Release dates
China · November 1, 2002
United States · March 4, 2004
San Jose Film Festival
Belgium
October 7, 2004 · Flanders International Film Festival
Canada
August 31, 2003 · Theatrical
Japan
June 16, 2007
Philippines
September 9, 2006 · Chinese Film Festival
More from Zhang Jiarui
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked When Ruoma Was Seventeen
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.