We frequently claim on here that Chinese movies and dramas favor strong female roles compared to those from other regions, and idarklight thought this would be an interesting list to compile. If you’ve seen a Chinese movie, please leave a comment on whether it passes and why so I can add to this list.
Below are the levels and corresponding numbers:
- There is not at least two [named] female characters.
- There are at least two [named] female characters in it, but they don’t talk to each other.
- There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they only talk to each other about a man.
- There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about something other than a man.
| Film Title | Level | Reason |
| 2014 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women Who Flirt (撒娇女人最好命) |
3 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. |
| Beijing Love Story (北京爱情故事) |
3 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. |
| Breakup Buddies (心花路放) |
3 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. |
| Facelift Diary (整容日记) |
3 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. |
| Returning Home (归来) |
4 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about dancing and such. |
| The Ex-files ( 前任攻略) |
3 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. |
| Where are we going? Dad (爸爸去哪儿) |
4 | There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about dancing and such. |
| 2013 | ||
| Tiny Times (小时代) |
4 | The four female leads frequently talk about each other and their aspirations. |
| The Stolen Years (被偷走的那五年) |
3 | |
| American Dreams in China (中国合伙人) |
3 | |
| Finding Mr. Right (北京遇上西雅图) |
4 | Tang Wei’s character and the little girl argue about whether to go to the Met or the Empire State building. There are also a lot of parenting discussions, although this is arguable, because the baby is a boy. |
| A Wedding Invitation (分手合约) |
3 | |
| Say Yes (101次求婚) |
4 | The two named female characters talk to each other, but not until the very end. |
| 2012 | ||
| Dangerous Liaisons (危险关系) |
3 | There’s one-liners, but only to move conversations about a man. |
| The Four (四大名捕) |
4 | Jiang Yiyan’s character and her protege talk about leaving. There are also multiple conversations on a variety of subjects by the protagonist group that includes several female characters. |
| The Guillotines (血滴子) |
2 | |
| Liu Rushi (柳如是) |
4 | Liu Rushi talks with a nun about poetry and art. |
| Lost in Thailand (人再囧途之泰囧) |
2 | |
| Painted Skin II (画皮Ⅱ) |
3 | |
| Lost in the Web (搜索) |
4 | Conversations about jobs, reporting, etc. |
| Wu Dang (武当) |
4 | Tianxin(Yang Mi) and the daughter (Liu Jiao) talks about fighting and miracles, although the conversation ends and begins with talking about the male lead. |
| 2011 | ||
| Aftershock (唐山大地震) |
4 | The stepmother of the daughter has a name too, and that’s who she gets the most interaction with. |
| The Flowers of War (金陵十三钗) |
4 | The convent girls and the courtesans all have inner-group conversations about a variety of topics. |
| Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (龙门飞甲) |
4 | They talk about Ling Yanqiu’s (Zhou Xun) reasons for living the way she does, who has taken Su Huirong (Mavis Fan), as well as Dragon Gate. |
| Snow Flower and the Secret Fan | 4 | The two women (as teens and as 19th century friends) talk about their lives, their problems. |
| Magic to Win (爱情魔法) |
4 | Karena Ng’s character is in a volleyball team so they talk about volleyball. |
2015
Left Ear 左耳
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
An Inspector Calls 神探驾到
Level 4
There’s A Place Only We Know 有一个地方只有我们知道
Wang Likun talks to other women about her grandmother …
Let’s Get Married 咱们结婚吧
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man (unless weddings count)
Left Ear 何以笙箫默
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
2014
Women Who Flirt 撒娇女人最好命
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
Zhou Xun and Huang Xiaoming are adorable here, and they make the film cute, but the script …
2014
Breakup Buddies 心花路放
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. Although except for Yuan Quan briefly, they don’t even talk to each other…
2014
北京爱情故事 Beijing Love Story
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
2014
Balala the Fairies: The Magic Trial 巴啦啦小魔仙之魔法的考驗
There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they do talk to each other about things other than a man.
2014
Returning Home 归来
There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about dancing and such.
2014
Facelift Diary 整容日记
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man. (They sort of do, about surgery, but it’s mostly to get a man)
2014
Where are we going? Dad 爸爸去哪儿
Top level! Yay!
2014
The Ex-files 前任攻略
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
2013
The Stolen Years(被偷走的那五年)
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
2013
Tiny Times 小时代
There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about things other than a man.
The four female leads frequently talk about each other, their friendship, and their aspirations.
American Dreams in China
中国合伙人
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
2012
Dangerous Liaisons (危險關係)
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they don’t they talk to each other about things other than a man.
There’s peripheral lines, but only to move conversations about a man.
2013
A Wedding Invitation (分手合约)
There are two or more female characters in this movie, but they only talk to each other about a man.
2011
Magic to Win 爱情魔法
There are two or more female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about things other than a man.
The main character is in a volleyball team so they talk about volleyball.
2013
Finding Mr. Right (北京遇上西雅图)
Level: There are two or more [named] female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about something other than a man
Tang Wei’s character and the little girl argue about whether to go to the Met or the Empire State building. There’s also a lot of parenting discussions, but since her baby is a boy, does that count?
101 Marriage Proposals (2013)
Level: There are at least 2 [named] female characters, but they don’t talk to each other until the very end.
The female characters talk to each other a lot, but I don’t think it ever leaves their relationship status except for in small tangents?
this is such a great idea xD i love this <3
I want to see Caught in the web but theres no subtitles :(.
Uh… how about double exposure? oh wait… she talks to her imaginary friend… and I think about a man. I don’t know where that one goes.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Level: There are two or more [named] female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about something other than a man
Reason: The two women (as teens and as 19th century friends) talk about their lives, their problems.
The Joy Luck Club
Level: There are two or more [named] female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about something other than a man
Reason: The different mothers tell their daughters about their lives in China.
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate
Level: There are two or more [named] female characters in this movie, and they talk to each other about something other than a man
Reason: They talk about Ling Yanqiu’s (Zhou Xun) reasons for living the way she does, who has taken Su Huirong (Mavis Fan), as well as Dragon Gate.
Aftershock
Level: There are at least 2 [named] female characters, but they don’t talk to each other until the very end.
LOL This one counts? I think the stepmother of the daughter has a name too, and that’s who she gets the most interaction with.