When Lesbians Divorce Gay Men
Director：Xiaopei He
Screenwriter：Xiaopei He
Cast：Xiaoxiong, Jingjing, Kele, Shanshan
Producer：Xiaopei He
Cinematographer：Xiaopei He
Running Time：82mins
Region：China
Year：2024
Language：Chinese
Production Company：PINK SPACE
SYNOPSIS
A decade after entering into lavender marriages, these lesbians have all divorced their contract husbands. During the filing, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world, and the zero-COVID policy was implemented in China. The film captures the current living conditions of these lesbians, their emotional relationships with one another, their relationships with their parents, and their connections with the men who are no longer their husbands. It also documents my relationship with the subjects being filmed. What can the zero-COVID policy turn into “zero,” and what can emerge from nothing?
Director Biography
The hills taught me to be a shepherd, and the Himalayas made me a mountaineer. A government job led me to study economic reform, while the women’s movement and gender studies made me a feminist. Participating in LGBTQ organizing in China helped me realize that many people, especially people with disabilities, HIV-positive women, bisexual women, and sex workers, are also oppressed because of their gender and sexuality. This is why I founded the Pink Space Sexuality Research Center, where we promote sexual rights and pleasure for those who are oppressed.
Director's Statement
A decade later, when I returned to the Northeast to revisit the lives of these women in contract marriages, I was met with immense support and assistance, despite the challenges posed by the zero-COVID policy. This made the filming of the documentary possible. Beyond simply documenting their lives, this film is a testament to our enduring friendship. No virus, no matter how powerful, could stop us. From capturing wedding ceremonies to peering into their homes and exploring the minutiae of their daily lives, this film series reveals not only same-sex relationships, family dynamics, and societal changes, but also the evolving relationship between the filmmaker and the subjects.
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