Happily Ever After
Director：Xiaopei He
Screenwriter：Xiaopei He
Cast：Xiaoxiong, Jingjing, Kele, Shanshan
Producer：Xiaopei He
Cinematographer：Yuan Yuan, Xiaopei He
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Language：Mandarin Chinese
Production Company：PINK SPACE
SYNOPSIS
“Happily Ever After” chronicles the emotional, relational, and life changes of four lesbians six years after they entered into contract marriages. The documentary explores how their relationships with their same-sex partners, their “husbands” in these contract marriages, and their own parents have evolved. This film delves into how these women have constructed their own queer families, prompting reflections on mainstream marital values and family dynamics.
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
Six years after entering into contract marriage, we revisited four lesbians living in Shenyang, Northeastern China, to explore how they have intentionally built queer families without blood relations. Their experiences invite us to reconsider mainstream societal conceptions of family.
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