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The set-up might sound like a reality game show, but Violet Du Feng’s portrait of three Chinese bachelors seeking a relationship is also a startling account of gender imbalance.
In a country where males far outnumber females, there is a boot camp for Chinese men to learn skills that might give them an advantage when it comes to finding a partner. The Dating Game follows three long-term bachelors as they embark on a seven-day course – a last chance saloon at finding love. Led by a charismatic dating coach, it offers a mix of questionable pick-up techniques and self-improvement advice. But as awkward encounters unfold, the film shifts from humorous observations to a deeper reflection on masculinity, self-worth and the unintended consequences of China’s one-child policy. Even the coach undergoes a transformation, realising that true connection less about strategy than authenticity. Both humorous and poignant, Du Feng’s film is an astute barometer of love, loneliness and societal expectations within the world’s largest, rapidly changing population.
In a country where males far outnumber females, there is a boot camp for Chinese men to learn skills that might give them an advantage when it comes to finding a partner. The Dating Game follows three long-term bachelors as they embark on a seven-day course – a last chance saloon at finding love. Led by a charismatic dating coach, it offers a mix of questionable pick-up techniques and self-improvement advice. But as awkward encounters unfold, the film shifts from humorous observations to a deeper reflection on masculinity, self-worth and the unintended consequences of China’s one-child policy. Even the coach undergoes a transformation, realising that true connection less about strategy than authenticity. Both humorous and poignant, Du Feng’s film is an astute barometer of love, loneliness and societal expectations within the world’s largest, rapidly changing population.
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Strands
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Topics
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Premiere statusUK premiere
Film details
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Director(s)Violet Du Feng
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Country(s)USA, United Kingdom, Norway
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Year2025
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Duration89 mins
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Executive producer(s)Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Chandra Jessee for InMaat, Shizuka Asakawa, Ken Pelletier, Trevor Burgess, Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Chandra Jessee, Shizuka Asakawa, Ken Pelletier, Trevor Burgess
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Producer(s)Violet Du Feng, Joanna Natasegara, Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas, James Costa
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CinematographyWei Gao
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EditingJohn Farbrother
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SoundChad Cannon
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Language(s)Mandarin
