Mistress Dispeller

An intimate and candid film that follows the course of an extra marital affair in modern China from the perspectives of the couple, the mistress and the woman hired to save the marriage.

The film explores a phenomenon that is increasingly popular in contemporary China and follows Mrs Li, who, after finding out her husband has a mistress, hires Teacher Wang (the so-called 'mistress dispeller') to bring the affair to an end.

Seen from the perspectives of all parties in the narrative, this Rashomon-inspired romance explores a love triangle from all sides. It follows a story that is universally familiar and yet uniquely specific to a country that is grappling with seismic shifts to society as a result of a rapidly expanding middle class and rising divorce rate.

Over two years and multiple trips to China, the producers built up a relationship with Teacher Wang and her business associate. A long casting followed before they found a case where all three characters were willing to give the extraordinary access the production was seeking.

The film follows the course of the affair from the point Mrs Li discovers her husband’s infidelity through to its aftermath. The audience is granted a front row seat to this incredibly private drama, as each of the protagonists reveals their experience in the moment with extraordinary honesty and candour.