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.

Directed by activist-filmmaker Fan Popo 范坡坡 — a key figure in China’s queer cinema movement — Be a Woman 舞娘 is one of the only documentaries to centre Chinese drag culture with empathy and pride. Filmed over several years, it not only captures a vanishing nightlife scene but also gives voice to performers whose lives are shaped by migration, marginalisation, and fierce self-expression. In the broader context of Fan’s filmography, including Mama Rainbow 彩虹伴我心 (2012) and Papa Rainbow 彩虹伴我行 (2016), Be a Woman 舞娘 marks an essential work in documenting queer realities in China with humour, humanity, and political intent.

Curated by the Chinese Independent Film Foundation and Beijing Queer Film Festival.