Event
Mistress Dispeller
“Rather than leaning on caricatures or stereotypes, the film gives each person’s perspective a respectful hearing. The added element of Wang’s subterfuge is what keeps it all fresh.” – The New York Times
“It’s about the mysteries of the human heart. Its exploration of these subtle depths is sensitive, as are its conclusions.” – RogerEbert.com
“Mistress Dispeller is a bittersweet take on bittersweet feelings that is also a fascinating showcase of the familial, cultural and societal rules and rituals in China.” – The New Indian Express
“Mistress Dispeller is a marvel: elegantly constructed, ethically created, and thought-provokingly humane.” – Mashable
“This level of intimacy and access is rare in any nonfiction film, guiding “Mistress Dispeller” toward a profound and searching panorama of loneliness and partnership, where everyone gets a chance to be heard.” – IndieWire
95% on Rotten Tomatoes
In China, a new industry has emerged devoted to helping couples stay married in the face of infidelity. Wang Zhenxi is part of this growing profession, a “mistress dispeller” who is hired to maintain the bonds of marriage — and break up affairs — by any means necessary. Offering strikingly intimate access to private dramas usually hidden behind closed doors, Mistress Dispeller follows a real, unfolding case of infidelity as Teacher Wang attempts to bring a couple back from the edge of crisis. Their story shifts our sympathies between husband, wife, and mistress to explore the ways emotion, pragmatism, and cultural norms collide to shape romantic relationships in contemporary China.
