China In Context
China In Context
SOAS China Institute
Mistress Dispellers and Shanghai Girls — Two female film-makers on love, marriage and divorce in China
42 minutes Posted Dec 17, 2025 at 2:00 pm.
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42:34
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Show notes
In this episode we look at love, marriage and divorce in contemporary China, from the perspective of two female filmmakers. These are topics with a political as well as personal significance — the Chinese government is keen to boost the birth rate to tackle the problem of an ageing population, but the marriage rate has fallen sharply, while the divorce rate has grown significantly over recent decades. Elizabeth Lo’s remarkable new film Mistress Dispeller looks at a growing industry in China —...