In a sleepy town in China, a middle-aged man is unwilling to endure a stagnant existence, and experiencing true love, decides to come out of the closet. Meanwhile, a lesbian couple go in search of a gay man, in order to get married and have a child. Behind these fiery love stories lies an absurd drama about identity politics, as these lonely souls struggle with the legacy of the communist past.

Zhang Zhiyong gives a superb performance in the lead role and won Best Actor at the Golden Horse Awards, where the film was nominated in all the major categories; it also won best cinematography and editing. Stylising daily reality with a biting black humour, director Geng Jun subtly critiques popular assumptions about gender roles, social etiquette, and what is considered age-appropriate behaviour.

Screening as part of Queer East.

Director Geng Jun
Year 2024
Duration 1h 56m
Language Mandarin with English Subtitles
Cast Zhang Zhiyong, Xu Gang