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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
草莓蛋糕

Taiwan202421 minMandarin with English subtitles2slgbtq+, Available Online, Drama, Experimental, Horror, Lesbian, Non-binary, Queer, Transgender

Sixteen-year-old Lolo becomes entangled in a Freudian loop centered on a strawberry shortcake and her mother, Norma. As Lolo sinks into the loop, the boundary between reality and the dreamscape becomes increasingly blurred.

IN PERSON & ONLINE: This film is being presented with English subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated).

Directors Bio

Deborah “Devyn” Chuang

Deborah “Devyn” Chuang is a Taiwanese American filmmaker whose award-winning shorts have screened at prestigious international festivals, including the world’s three largest genre festivals: Sitges, Fantasia, and Fantastic Fest.

This film is part of the Shorts Presentation

OTHERWORLDS

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8 Nov, 2025 6:30 pm

TIFF Lightbox C4

Rating

AA

CONTENT ADVISORY
Depictions of nudity, sexual content

MONTRÉAL, MA BELLE
Montreal, My Beautiful

Canada2025116 minFrench, Mandarin with English subtitles2slgbtq+, Directed By Women, Drama, Lesbian, Reel Asian Award Winner, Romance

Feng Xia, 53, lives a modest but decent life in Montreal: She has a house and is married with two children. But she finds herself growing dissatisfied with her loveless marriage and cloistered life of obligation. After taking a conversational French class, Feng Xia finds the city has opened up to her in new ways, including curious dalliances with dating apps. There, she meets Camille, a Quebecois woman who challenges her spiritually and sexually. Their affair awakens Feng Xia’s long-buried desires during a glowing Montreal summer.

The iconic Joan Chen fearlessly takes on the challenging role of Feng Xia, dexterously shifting between timid matron and sensuous explorer. Director Xiaodan He creates no easy answers, though, determined to show the complexities and conflicts of being a middle-aged Chinese mother in Montreal who yearns to break out. For those like Feng Xia who carry the weight of life’s duties, self-discovery can have collateral damage.

– Aram Siu Wai Collier

Cast

Joan Chen
Charlotte Aubin
John Xu

Director Bio

Xiaodan He

Xiaodan He, a Montreal-based Chinese Canadian filmmaker, studied film production at the Beijing Film Academy of China. After immigrating to Canada, He founded Red Dawn Productions, which received financing for five feature film projects. He is the first Chinese immigrant director and producer to receive governmental grants in Quebec and in Canada for a feature film.

7 Nov, 2025 8:15 pm

TIFF Lightbox C3

Rating

AA

IN-CINEMA TICKETS

CONTENT ADVISORY
domestic/sexual violence, gender violence, nudity, explicit sexual content

IN PERSON ACCESSIBILITY

Wheelchair/Step-Free Seating Available icon

This film is being presented with English subtitles for all spoken dialogue (no sound cues indicated).

Wheelchair spaces and step-free seating is available for this screening – click below to book accessible seats.

With Support From

POST-FILM DISCUSSION: MONTRÉAL, MA BELLE

Join us for a Q&A session immediately after the screening moderated by Reel Asian's artistic director Aram Siu Wai Collier, with director Xiaodan He.

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