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LOGLINE
Desperate to save her marriage, a woman in China hires a professional to go undercover and break up her husband’s affair. With strikingly intimate access, Mistress Dispeller follows this unfolding family drama from all corners of a love triangle.
SYNOPSIS
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.
(94 min. China/USA)
MAIN CREDITS
Directed and Produced by: Elizabeth Lo
Produced by: Emma D. Miller
Producer: Maggie Li
Director of Photography: Elizabeth Lo
Editor: Charlotte Munch Bengtsen
Co-Editor: Elizabeth Lo
Writers: Elizabeth Lo, Charlotte Munch Bengtsen
Original Music: Brian McOmber
Executive Producers: Jenny Raskin, Kelsey Koenig, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Nick Shumaker, Jessica Grimshaw, David Levine, Dawn Olmstead, Rahdi Taylor, Davis Guggenheim, Steve Cohen, Paula Froehle
Co-Executive Producers: Lauren Haber, Marni E. J. Grossman
PRESS QUOTES
"A spellbindingly intimate tale. Lo’s latest work solidifies that she’s one of the most exciting new voices in documentary.”
– Pat Mullen, POV MAGAZINE
“Transfixing. Elizabeth Lo’s fascinating follow-up to her beloved 2020 dog doc ‘Stray’ … 'Mistress Dispeller' confirms its director’s talent for observing grander cultural currents through a highly specific lens.”
– Stephen Saito, THE MOVEABLE FEST
“Extraordinary for both the candor of the subjects and the film’s exceptional fly-on-the-wall setup.”
– John Frater, VARIETY
“Elegantly haunting and strangely romantic… Lo’s triumph with ‘Mistress Dispeller,’ showing us that as far apart as our customs and cultures might be, the people that dwell in their margins are astonishingly alike… It’s fascinating to witness what Lo taps into here, building a link between China’s thriving economy and the sense of freedom (and, sometimes, unhappiness) that growth has brought to nuclear families… 'Mistress Dispeller' culminates in a beautiful final act, as everyone — the audience included — walks away with something rewarding and reflective from the time they’ve spent with Teacher Wang."
– Tomris Laffly, VARIETY
“A delicately realised examination of marriage in modern China… Lo’s patiently observed documentary displays a cinematic quality which enhances its theatrical prospects… The narrative structure is highly effective… dexterously assembled… [It] encourages the viewer to examine their own beliefs regarding fidelity and commitment… By discreetly embedding her camera in domestic and social spaces, Lo captures unguarded confessions to achieve a genuine intimacy.”
– John Berra, SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
“A [Biennale] standout.”
– Fionnuala Halligan, SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
“Gripping and fascinatingly conceived… Lo’s level of access is extraordinary…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.”
– Ryan Lattanzio, INDIEWIRE
"[A] fascinating documentary… A riveting exploration of a relationship on the brink… A remarkably vulnerable film… Mistress Dispeller is so shocking in how vulnerable its subjects are willing to be on screen that you can’t help but sit slack-jawed in awe at some of its most intimate scenes... It’s so bracing at times you almost expect a reveal in the credits that everyone involved is an actor, but that never comes… What Lo has captured in Mistress Dispeller is astonishing. It almost feels like you’re listening in on real people’s private therapy sessions.”
– Barry Levitt, THE DAILY BEAST
“A delight… Exemplary. Elizabeth Lo is an unconventional director who, in recent years, has distinguished herself as one of the most important voices in the new cinema of reality.”
– Lorenzo Ciofani, CINEMATOGRAFO
"Shot with a poetic eye, and surprisingly moving at times…Lo’s film is engaging, informative and heartfelt.”
– Stephen Dalton, THE FILM VERDICT
“Featuring remarkable access – Mistress Dispeller is a profound look at love, marriage and emotion. By the extraordinary finale… Lo’s film emerges as a unique look at human connection, and all its fragilities.”
– James Mottram, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
"Mistress Dispeller is like a compassionate, thinking person’s documentary version of Real Housewives. Yes, it’s far gentler and way classier, but it’s just impossible to look away… A real-life love triangle and family drama so intimate it’s hard to believe all the characters are real people going through real life drama… I was at the edge of my seat, but was also rooting for everyone involved. What an experience."
– Leslie Combemale, ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS
"A feat of intelligent, emotional filmmaking, 'Mistress Dispeller' is one of the most compelling films of the year so far, fictional or non-fictional.”
– Dan Bayer, NEXT BEST PICTURE
“Joltingly intimate yet humane. You might never look a love triangle the same way again.”
– Kristy Puchko, MASHABLE
“Extraordinary… Shockingly intimate.. This remarkable documentary engages its audience through an earnest empathy with all three parties, and a daring openness between subject and filmmaker that is absolutely stunning.. Mistress Dispeller is gorgeous to behold… A marvel: elegantly constructed, ethically created, and thought-provokingly humane.”
– Kristy Puchko, MASHABLE
“Quietly roiling... Lo produces an emotionally perceptive, mature,
and at times lyrical text out of a highly mediated premise."
– Nicolas Rapold, DOCUMENTARY MAGAZINE
“[A] fascinating film... Impressively intimate yet never salacious… A probing, profound examination of just what marriage is meant to mean within contemporary China… It’s ever engaging, and truly feels to be a unique, powerful, and deeply personal portrait that gets to the heart of something so rarely captured in such an eloquent way.”
– Jason Gorber, POV MAGAZINE
“An astonishing love triangle story for the documentary crowd, this film deftly captures our desire for connection. The ultimate ‘how did they shoot that?’ film of the fest.”
– Pat Mullen, POV MAGAZINE/TORONTO STAR
“There was perhaps no better display of the art of documentary than the TIFF Docs standout Mistress Dispeller. Director Elizabeth Lo’s portrait of a love triangle captivated with its breathtakingly intimate window into a troubled marriage. The film’s a stunning product of perseverance and trust. The respect that Lo afforded all parties in the affair helped to deliver some of the most jaw-dropping material in a film this year."
– Pat Mullen, POV MAGAZINE
“So compelling… Lo gets remarkable access to all three corners of a love triangle thanks in no small part to the Mistress Dispeller involved… This is a film that is built upon patience and which takes a philosophical rather than judgmental stance… An unusual and absorbing documentary.”
– Amber Wilkinson, EYE FOR FILM
“Shot in such a phenomenally vibrant, elegant way that at times it is hard to imagine that each scene, each part of the story, is unfolding right then and there… A spellbinding view into modern China, and modern love.”
– Nina E. Rothe, FLAUNT MAGAZINE
“A beautifully shot film that stays true to human emotion whilst giving viewers a glimpse into societal possibilities that may have never considered… Mistress Dispeller is entirely unique and striking… Lo and her team have created an excellent, meaningful production."
– Taryn Crowley, THE UPCOMING
"Intimately bound with her subjects, Lo takes us on a poignant journey into the inner workings of the heart.”
– Christopher Reed, HAMMER TO NAIL
“A compassionate look at the difficulties and strength of love... Lo beautifully captures the many facets of love and loneliness through her empathetic lens... It is a rare, unbiased look at modern love in another society that’s a must-see for any couple or romantic.”
– M.J. O’Toole, HAMMER TO NAIL
"Fascinating doesn’t do it justice.”
– Christopher Reed, FILM FESTIVAL TODAY
“With imaginative camerawork and an operatic score this is another sensitive and intelligent film from Lo.”
– Meredith Taylor, FILMUFORIA
“Takes us into an intimate and strikingly complex world of love, betrayal and manipulation in modern-day China… Often funny and using genuine intimate introspective moments of private life and rich visual metaphors to dissect the institution of marriage and interpersonal relationships in deeply surprising ways, Elizabeth Lo crafts exquisitely framed shots and sequences that carry significant thematic and symbolic weight… What sets Mistress Dispeller apart is its ability to evoke empathy for all parties involved… A compelling look at the lengths people will go to to preserve love and the intricate dance of modern relationships.”
– Chico Peres Smith, CULT MTL
“Fascinating and elegantly crafted.”
– Shane Slater, AWARDS RADAR
“A breakthrough in the portrayal of marital affairs… Its honest and out-of-the-box dissection of adult relationships captures the entire scenario of a domestic tragedy, yet it also tries to pinpoint the humane influence behind the disruptive decisions… Skillfully showcases the power of feminism in the right direction, where women stand up for themselves and help each other to claim what’s rightfully theirs.”
– Niikhiil Akhiil, FILM FEST REPORT
"Mistress Dispeller is a miracle of documentary filmmaking.”
– Drew Gregory, AUTOSTRADDLE
“A definite conversation starter, this is one of the [TIFF] docs you don’t want to miss.”
– Britany Murphy, MUSES OF MEDIA
"An intriguing conceit from the outset… Lo uses pristine cinematography and swooning soundtracks to create a vibrant atmosphere, establishing settings and shots with a touch not dissimilar to that of a standard romantic drama or comedy, to ease us into the story… Makes its conflicts and resolutions well worth watching."
– Calvin Law, THE ASIAN CUT
“This captivating study of a manipulative ménage à trois is fascinating… Like something out of a romantic thriller or disillusioned marital drama… Sharply observed.”
– Lida Bach, MOVIEBREAK
“One of the most interesting works of the year… A complex and dynamic picture that brings to light the nuances and difficulties of a romantic relationship struggling with everyday life.”
– Sofia Racco, NPC MAGAZINE
“Mind-boggling.”
– David Ezan, TROIS COULEURS