The Other Half (2006 Chinese film)

Synopsis

A sensitive and ironic portrayal of life in a Chinese industrial town, where a law clerk contends with her clients’ litany of woes, her shady boyfriend’s gambling addiction, her estranged father and the threat of toxic pollution.

Xiaofen works as a clerk at a law firm located in a developing city in Southwestern China. Her job is to meet different female clients of the firm and document each case. However, just like the female clients involved in those lawsuits, Xiaofen is also in trouble. She feels anxious and unsafe. Her boyfriend, who was living with her, goes missing, possibly because he was a murderer. And her mother and her women friends lead unsettled lives.

This movie consists of two alternating parts. One part comprises the actual, true stories told by the female clients whom Xiaofen meets in her job. The other part is the narrative about Xiaofen herself and her female friends. The intention of the film’s structure is to present a contemporary report on the status of women living in an inland city in China.

Awards

Film festivals