Teeming with pirates and lepers, Drift Island may at first seem like an unlikely environment for a feminist romantic yarn. But, director Zero Chou’s new period piece set in the 17th century Ming Dynasty is full of surprises. Sisters and courtesans White Snow (Michelle Chen, You Are the Apple of My Eye, TFD 2012) and White Frost (Ivy Chen, Hear Me, TFD 2012) enchant each visitor to Madame Moon’s Flower House with their smoky music and dance numbers. When one of Madam Moon’s costumers questions them about status of women on the island, she sets the stage for stage-crossed love, kidnapping and betrayal. Dark and erotic, Ripples of Desire is an evocative and original film.