ZAMEK Culture Centre

In Shanghai, traditionally known as the “city of women”, lives Wang Tiemei, a divorced journalist raising her daughter Moli on her own. She writes a feminist newspaper column exploring the position of women and men in contemporary China. Wang Tiemei befriends her twenty-something neighbour, Xiao Ye, who struggles with financial instability, romantic uncertainty, and the trauma of domestic violence. When a charming young male feminist enters the picture, Wang faces a choice: should she continue her independent life surrounded by women, or allow a man back into it? Especially since Moli’s unemployed father, still clinging to hope, is not ready to give up on their relationship.

In “Her Story” and her previous feature “B for Busy”, Shao Yihui continues the tradition of Shanghai’s urban comedies of manners, distinguished by their sharp dialogue and strong performances. The director carefully crafts each exchange between the characters, giving every line a clear role in advancing the film’s feminist message. Shao highlights the agency and perspective of her female protagonists, aiming to raise awareness among audiences and lay the groundwork for a gradual transformation of China’s patriarchal society.

HER STORY, dir. Shao Yihui, China 2024, 123’