In the reform period of China’s 1980s, more women directors emerged and created images at odds with the stereotypical representation of ‘Chinese women’. As Lidan Hu contends, these women directors provide alternative visions of the modernisation of Chinese cinema and call attention to the fundamental issues concerning modern female subjectivity. Lu Xiaoya (陆小雅1941-), a former actress, transitioned into directing with her debut film In and Out of Court (法庭内外 Fating neiwai, 1980), a social drama that explores the profound societal challenges faced during the early years of China’s reform and opening-up. Throughout her career, her focus on social issues has remained steadfast, with women often taking centre stage in her work. By analysing Lu’s films The Girl in Red (红衣少女 Hongyi shaonü, 1985) and Unrequited Love (热恋Relian, 1989), Lidan Hu’s research examines the experiences of female protagonists as they seek both spiritual and material independence, highlighting shifting conceptions of womanhood amidst the rise of individual consciousness, the persistence of traditional cultural influences, and the expanding marketisation of China’s reform era. Unrequited Love, specifically, shows the predicament of women who were once the ardent participators in socialism but now find no space to practice their agency in the time of massive marketisation.

Lidan Hu is an Associate Professor in the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures at Sichuan University, China. She received her PhD from the University of Edinburgh and is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Oxford. Her research explores the intersections of film, literature, and gender studies. Her work has been published in international peer-reviewed journals, including Feminist Media Studies, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies, and Asian Journal of Women’s Studies.