• Source: Her Story (2024 film)

      • Her Story (Chinese: 好东西; pinyin: Hǎo dōng xī; lit. 'Good Things') is a 2024 Chinese feminist comedy-drama film directed by Shao Yihui, and starring Song Jia, Zhong Chuxi, Zeng Mumei and Zhang Yu. The story revolves around Wang Tiemei, a single mother, and her child who move into a new home and become acquainted with their neighbor, Xiao Ye. The two women, each with contrasting personalities, form a unique bond. Released on 22 November 2024, the film received critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction and performances.


      Plot


      Set in Shanghai, the story follows single mother Wang Tiemei (Song Jia) and her daughter Wang Moli (Zeng Mumei) as they move into a new home and meet their neighbor, Xiao Ye (Zhong Chuxi). Despite their contrasting personalities—Wang Tiemei being resilient and practical, and Xiao Ye more gentle and spontaneous—a connection develops between them.
      Wang Tiemei demonstrates strong nurturing skills, while Xiao Ye brings a sense of unpredictability with her talent for improvisation. Together, they face personal challenges and provide mutual support as they navigate past experiences and new circumstances.
      The narrative is further shaped by two men in Wang Tiemei’s life: her ex-husband (Mark Chao), who complicates her efforts to find stability, and her daughter’s drum teacher Xiao Ma (Zhang Yu), who introduces new dynamics into her life. The film explores themes of personal growth and self-awareness, raising questions about the challenges the characters will encounter and how their perspectives on themselves and their environment may evolve.


      Cast


      Song Jia as Wang Tiemei
      Zhong Chuxi as Xiao Ye
      Zeng Mumei as Wang Moli
      Mark Chao as Wang Tiemei's ex-husband
      Zhang Yu as Xiao Ma


      Production and pre-publicity


      On 18 March 2024, the film began shooting in Shanghai and on the same day, the concept poster of the film was released.
      This film serves as a parallel piece of director Shao Yihui's 2021 directorial debut B for Busy, continuing its focus on themes of "centering women's perspectives and addressing women's struggles" while conveying the idea that "loving the world begins with loving oneself."
      When asked by the media about similarities and differences between Her Story and B for Busy, director Shao Yihui explained that the "similarity lies in their lack of intense drama—both are refined from everyday life", and in Her Story "places greater emphasis on showcasing women's unique life experiences, distinct from those of men" and "aim to present how contemporary independent women live, find happiness, and derive a sense of meaning and value."
      On 25 October, the first trailer of the film was released and on 19 November, the final trailer was released. On 19 November, the film held its first premiere in Chengdu and on November 20, the film held its premiere in Beijing.


      Release and reception


      The film was released both domestically and internationally on 22 November 2024, with debut in the United States on November 28, followed by the United Kingdom on 29 November. In Australia and New Zealand, it was distributed in theaters by Little Monster Entertainment on 28 November, with Singapore’s Golden Village releasing it on the same date. Malaysia’s Mega Films Distribution released the film on 8 December. In China, between 29 November and 1 December, the film made ¥140.9 million ($19.8 million) in box office, overtaking Moana 2. In Douban, Her Story has a score of 92.2%, indicating positive and critical acclaim.
      The Chinese publication The Sixth Tone and British newspaper The Guardian called the film as China’s answer to the 2023 Hollywood blockbuster Barbie. In an interview, Yang Xiaolin, director of the Film Research Institute at Tongji University, highlighted the film's popularity as stemming from its keen observation of everyday life, marking it as a fresh take on realist cinema. He noted that the film captures the essence of the present without exaggeration, focusing on the experiences of ordinary individuals, particularly the young and middle-aged "new Shanghainese." However, Yang also criticized the film for its intentional sidelining of male characters, arguing that it portrays a gendered narrative where women are depicted as victims of harm or discrimination in a male-dominated society, often intensifying the gender conflict by glorifying one side while vilifying the other. Fang Xiaoya of China Daily wrote that the film "created a narrative that speaks to women's experiences with honesty and warmth, inviting the audience to imagine a world where women can be the architects of their own futures."
      Wendy Huang of What's On Weibo wrote that "The success of Her Story, the conversations it inspires, and its contribution to highlighting female perspectives in film reflect the evolving dynamics of contemporary cinema and the strengthening of female voices in traditionally male-dominated industries."


      References




      External links


      Her Story at Douban (in Chinese)
      Her Story at IMDb

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