In her new film, Montreal, ma belle (Montreal, My Beautiful), director Xiaodan He uses delicate visual language to portray the emotional awakening and self‑discovery of a middle‑aged Chinese immigrant woman living in Montreal. The film not only explores the complexities of immigrant identity but also centres a group rarely depicted in Chinese‑language cinema: middle‑aged lesbian women.
In this edited interview with the Toronto Spark, He discusses the origins of the story, her collaboration with Joan Chen, the psychological construction of her characters, and why Montreal is an irreplaceable setting for this film. The film will be screened at TIFF Lightbox on February 14, 15, and 19, and at the Toronto Paradise on February 15 and 19.
Toronto Spark: Where did the inspiration for this story come from?
Xiaodan He: The inspiration came from two directions.
The first is closely tied to my life in Montreal. After finishing my previous two feature films, I had a strong desire to make a film set in Montreal. I’ve lived here for 25 years now—longer than anywhere else in my life. It has truly become my second home. I love this city deeply and am grateful for everything it has given me, both personally and professionally.
So I had a very strong wish: my next film must be shot in Montreal. Even my mother joked, “Stop running back to China to make movies—it’s too exhausting. Just shoot one at your doorstep.” For me, it wasn’t just a wish; it felt like a creative necessity. More than two decades of life here have made this place my artistic soil. It’s no longer unfamiliar.
The second inspiration was this: if I were to make a film in Montreal, I wanted it to be an immigrant story—and it had to be a woman’s story.
I didn’t want to repeat the usual immigrant narratives—parent‑child conflicts, cultural clashes, and so on. I wanted a fresh angle, one that explored a woman’s inner world. That led me to the story of a middle‑aged lesbian woman.
Why a lesbian story? Because this is a group I’ve long paid attention to—a marginalized and vulnerable community. In many parts of the world, they are still overlooked or even oppressed. I’ve been sensitive to minority and marginalized groups since childhood because my father is Naxi, an ethnic minority from Yunnan. I’ve always felt a natural empathy toward people on the margins.
And middle‑aged Chinese lesbian women—this group has never been portrayed on the big screen anywhere. When I realized that, I became very excited. I felt this was a story worth telling, and a group that deserved to be seen.
Toronto Spark: What did Joan Chen bring to the role that you didn’t anticipate during the writing stage?
Xiaodan He: I always call her “Teacher Joan Chen.” Working with her was unforgettable. It was a truly perfect and successful collaboration between two women.If I had to describe her with one word, it would be “complexity”. Her performance is rich and full, convincing in every gesture and expression.
The biggest surprise she brought—something I didn’t foresee while writing—was the innocence she infused into Feng Xia. Feng Xia is a woman in her fifties, yet when she meets Camille and experiences love, she suddenly becomes like a young girl—cute, shy, even innocent. This quality comes from Joan herself. It’s a rare gift an actor can bring to a character, and it’s incredibly precious.
Toronto Spark: How would you describe Feng Xia as a character?
Xiaodan He: Feng Xia is a very simple person. As she says in the film, “We are simple.” She has innocence and romanticism in her bones, but as a mother and wife, she never had the chance to express these parts of herself. She is also very brave. She knows that pursuing love will come with a price—that she must face her husband and children, and that the consequences may be harsh. But she still chooses to follow her heart.
Her hesitation, fear, and inner conflict are all real because she cares deeply about her family. No one in the story is a “bad person”. It’s precisely these layered and authentic emotions that make audiences empathize with her and admire her.
Toronto Spark: What do you most hope audiences understand about Camille?
Xiaodan He: Camille represents a very Montreal, very Quebec kind of woman—open, free‑spirited, casual, a bit wild.
She is straightforward and honest; she never lies. But this honesty can sometimes hurt others. For example, when she says, “We don’t have a deal; we’re not in a relationship,” or when she kisses another girl. For a traditional Chinese woman, that’s hard to accept. She appears confident and carefree, but internally she struggles—she’s afraid of love. This comes from her family background and her parents’ marriage.
When she meets Feng Xia, who is in her fifties, the two become not only lovers but also friends—mutual sources of support. Their bond reflects the depth of female friendship, which I find very beautiful.
Toronto Spark: Why did you feel that Charlotte Aubin was the ideal choice to play Camille?
Xiaodan He: She is incredibly beautiful, with a balance of masculine and feminine qualities—a kind of yin‑yang harmony. She has both strength and delicacy, a truly striking androgynous beauty. Her blonde hair, her smile, her presence—many viewers told me they couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Toronto Spark: You mentioned that the film focuses heavily on atmosphere. What visual elements did you use to build that emotional tone?
Xiaodan He: Many viewers told me the film is beautiful—and that was my intention. I wanted to create a visually beautiful love story.
Cinematography was key. My cinematographer )Marie Davignon) is a woman, and she is wonderful. Montreal’s summer light is extraordinary. I used natural light to shape the characters’ skin texture, making the images feel real, sensual, and even a bit erotic. Why shoot in summer? Because summer in Montreal is full of sunshine, greenery, flowers, and a sense of freedom. Everyone feels like they’re on vacation. It’s the perfect atmosphere for a love story.
Other elements include:
- the season and weather
- colour palette
- production design (Fengxia’s home, Camille’s home, the convenience store, parks, small streets)
- costumes
Together, these elements create the film’s distinctive Montreal beauty.
Toronto Spark: Why is it important to explore LGBTQ+ themes through the story of a Chinese immigrant woman?
Xiaodan He: First, because no one has done it before. It’s a completely new topic and a new angle—that alone drew me in.
I want to give marginalized groups a chance to be seen, understood, and acknowledged. But the film is not only about sexuality. It’s about humanity, love, and freedom. Whether heterosexual or homosexual, we all need love, and we all long to be loved.
Toronto Spark: How important was your time at the Beijing Film Academy to your career?
Xiaodan He: Very important. I entered the academy at 18 and saw so many great films from around the world for the first time. They changed how I saw the world and life.
Those films “took me traveling”, and the four years there gave me an incredible learning environment. That’s where my dream of becoming a filmmaker began.
Toronto Spark: How do you view the relationship between the film’s title, beginning, ending, and narrative development? Which part carries the emotional weight?
Xiaodan He: The title Montreal, My Beautiful is highly symbolic. Montreal gives Feng Xia a second life—it’s where she embraces love and freedom.
The story appears calm on the surface, but the real tension comes from the characters’ inner conflicts and searching. External conflict is minimal; the emotional weight lies in Feng Xia’s internal transformation—her contradictions, struggles, and awakening.
Toronto Spark: Have you begun preparing your next project? Can you share anything about it?
Xiaodan He: Yes, I’ve started writing a new script, but it’s still early, so I can’t reveal too much. What I can say is that it’s another women‑centered story—a revenge tale about a mother and daughter.
Watch the trailer (above) for Montreal, ma belle (Montreal, My Beautiful).
The Toronto Spark interviewed the multilingual Xiaodan He in Mandarin and the transcript was edited and translated into English. Montreal, ma belle (Montreal, My Beautiful) will be screened at TIFF Lightbox on February 14, 15, and 19. It will also be at the Toronto Paradise Theatre on February 15 and 19. Learn more about the communities that make up Canada on the Toronto Spark website. The Toronto Spark is on Bluesky @torontospark.bsky.social.
