In a country where infidelity meets capitalism, a controversial service has emerged to save marriages—by any means necessary. Award-winning filmmaker Elizabeth Lo’s latest documentary, Mistress Dispeller, pulls back the curtain on China’s flourishing industry of professional relationship saboteurs hired to end extramarital affairs.
The documentary, which had its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, follows the intricate dance between a desperate wife, her unfaithful husband, and the woman she hires to break up his affair. Far from a simple exposé, Lo’s film examines the complex emotional labor and ethical questions surrounding this uniquely Chinese phenomenon.
The film arrives at a moment when rapid urbanization and shifting social norms have created fertile ground for such services. With divorce stigma still powerful and economic pressures mounting, wives often feel trapped between tradition and modern realities.
Lo, whose previous award-winning documentary Stray examined marginalized existence through street dogs, brings her signature observational style to this intimate subject. Mistress Dispeller continues her exploration of boundary-crossers navigating complex social territories.
Critics have praised the film’s intimate access and nuanced approach. Variety described it as “elegantly haunting and strangely romantic,” while IndieWire called it “exemplary” in its handling of sensitive material.
Following its Venice debut, the film screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and has been making rounds on the festival circuit, including appearances at DOC NYC and Chicago International Film Festival.
Lo’s film raises uncomfortable questions about the commercialization of relationships and the lengths people will go to preserve marriage—whether for love, status, or survival. Check out the trailer for Lo’s Mistress Dispeller below:
Cover image via AnOther.
