Be A Woman

A rare and intimate portrait of queer performance, sisterhood and survival in a Nanning drag bar.

In the southern Chinese city of Nanning, a group of drag performers take to the stage each night, dazzling audiences with their artistry, wit and resilience. Be a Woman follows their lives on and off the stage, peeling back the sequins to reveal the joys and struggles of queer life in a deeply conservative society. Through interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, the film traces stories of transformation, identity and chosen family.

Curator's note
Directed by activist-filmmaker Fan Popo范坡坡, a leading voice in China's queer cinema movement, Be a Woman 舞娘 stands as one of the few documentaries to centre drag culture in mainland China with empathy, visibility and pride. Filmed over several years, it captures a nightlife scene that exists in tension with broader social attitudes, where drag is often misunderstood, marginalised or treated as novelty entertainment rather than recognised as a form of queer self-expression. In contemporary Chinese society, drag occupies a complex space, tolerated in certain settings yet still subject to stigma, censorship and shifting public perception. By focusing on performers in Nanning, Be a Woman 舞娘 reveals how drag becomes a site of solidarity and chosen family, offering visibility in a landscape where queer representation is limited