Tracey Choi is arguably one of the most exciting cinematic voices to have emerged from Macao in recent years. Born and bred in Macao, the 37-year old LGBTQ+ director first burst onto the stage with I’m Here (2012), a documentary about the struggles of lesbians in the territory, which bagged her the Jury Award at the Macau International Film and Video Festival.
Choi followed this up with other small-scale productions, including a documentary exploring the lives of three Macao female authors called Farming on the Wasteland (2014).
The year 2016 marked a turning point in the young director’s career, as she made her feature length debut with Sisterhood, a film that touches on her thematic obsessions of same-sex love, relationship and feminism.
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Ten years after the release of Sisterhood, Choi has reunited with Liew and Yu for the semi-autobiographic lesbian romance drama, Girlfriends (2025). Like Sisterhood, the film is a contemplative and nostalgic piece that tracks the development of its main character over a long period of time.
On the message that she wishes to convey through Girlfriends, Choi said during the film’s Macao premiere at MGM Macau on 27 February that “we all hope we can accept different people in society.”
Continue reading to find out more about Girlfriends and where to catch it.
What is the plot of Girlfriends?
The movie tells the story of Lok (Fish Liew), a 34-year old Macao filmmaker living in Hong Kong who must deal with the double whammy of turning her new script into a film and a girlfriend, Bei (Jennifer Yu), eager to get married.
Over the course of the film, the story moves back in time, giving audiences a glimpse of Lok’s life in Taiwan at age 22 (Elizabeth Tang) and Macao at age 17 (Natalie Hsu).
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At age 22, she is depicted as an orange-haired rebel who finds herself at crossroads, as she and her girlfriend decide on their next future upon graduating from university.
This is in stark contrast to the 17-year old Lok, who is shown to be a meek and well-behaved high schooler who is still discovering her sexual orientation.
When asked by The Bay on why Girlfriend’s narrative unfolds in a reverse chronological order, Choi said the flashbacks were a way for the main character to feel that her current self was informed by her past selves.
Who are the actresses in Girlfriends?
The main character of Girlfriends, Lok, is portrayed by three different actresses who embody the role at different life stages.
Malaysian-born performer Fish Liew takes on the role of Lok at age 34. The 35-year old actress has been starring in Hong Kong films since 2013, although she has only come into her own in recent years, earning the Best Supporting Actress Award for Anita (2021) at the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards, and a Best Actress Prize for her performance in Someone Like Me (2025).
Hong Kong actress Elizabeth Tang plays the character at age 22. Tang is relatively new to the film scene, having first made her name by acting in music videos and commercials. However, her performance in Girlfriends – playing a rebellious loose cannon – is arguably one of the most memorable in the movie.
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Up-and-coming Hong Kong actress, Natalie Hsu, plays the 17-year old Lok, the youngest version of the character. The daughter of retired 1980s and 1990s Hong Kong cinema starlet Ann Bridgewater, Hsu is one of the city’s most promising young actresses, collaborating with major stars such as Andy Lau, Ekin Cheng and Fan Bingbing.
Three other actresses portray Lok’s love interests at different stages in her life. Hong Kong actress, Jennifer Yu, plays Bei, Lok’s girlfriend at age 34. The 32-year old is another rising star in Hong Kong, bagging the Best Actress Award for the film In Broad Daylight (2024) at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards.
In addition, Taiwanese actress Han Ning portrays Lok’s girlfriend at age 22, while Macao performer Elilz Lao Yi-lin plays an older woman who Lok develops romantic feelings for. The former rose to prominence with the 2020 Taiwanese horror series, Detention. Meanwhile, Lao has starred in various features such as Fig (2013) and Ina and the Blue Tiger Sauna, and is also the founder of Macau Kids Talent Academy.
Is the film worth watching?
The critical reception towards Girlfriends has varied from average to positive, with critics highlighting the film’s unique choice to have three different actresses portray its main character as one of its strengths. As South China Morning Post’s Edmund Lee noted in his three-out-of-five stars review, this decision “lends a welcome experimental edge to an otherwise conventional queer narrative.”
Some critics have also singled out Tang’s role as the 22-year old version of the main character as the film’s standout performance. As Elizabeth Kerr of Kai Fong wrote in her review, “it’s really about Lok at 22, and Tang as the brash, sexy, callous, curious, know-it-all, fire-up (god the early-20s are a mess) version was justifiably nominated for supporting actress at November’s Golden Horse Awards.”
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Unsurprisingly, Tang has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Best New Performer at the 44nd Hong Kong Film Awards, which will take place on 19 April.
Despite being praised as a layered and reflective film on queerness and the pressures that same-sex individuals face, Girlfriend has been criticised for being too by the book, offering a storyline that is not entirely different from what has come before.
Is Girlfriends based on Choi’s own experience?
The film is semi-autobiographical in nature. Its three chapters set in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao reflect Choi’s personal experience growing up in Macao, studying film in Taiwan and working as a filmmaker in Hong Kong.
During the film’s Macao premiere, Choi admitted that many aspects of the script were rooted in her own experience, although she also acknowledged that the film was a team effort, with input from the scriptwriter, producer, actors and other creatives. As a result, she considers the film to incorporate both true life and fictitious elements.
Is the film appropriate for younger audiences?
Girlfriends has earned a IIB rating in Hong Kong, meaning it is not suitable for young persons and children. Meanwhile, the movie has been classified as a Group C movie in Macao, making it not suitable for people under 18 and prohibited viewing for those under 13.
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For those taking younger audiences to watch Girlfriends, note that the film contains some suggestive sex scenes, especially during the middle Taiwan segment. These scenes, however, are not overly explicit or long and contain no nudity.
What’s the film’s theme song?
The Cantonese-language theme song of Girlfriends, Ordinary People, was written and sung by Hong Kong popstar Panther Chan.
The song appears to be a reference to a script that the 34-year old version of Lok is writing in the film called “Be Ordinary.” The song itself touches on themes such as embracing one’s ordinariness and the courage needed to achieve this.
Where can I watch the film?
Girlfriends was released in Macao and Hong Kong cinemas on 5 March. As of writing, the film was screening across many major theatres in both cities. Those in Macao can catch the film at Studio City, Emperor Cinemas (Lisboeta), Bona Cinema and CGV Cinemas (Nova Mall).
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For those hoping to catch the movie at Macao’s Cinematheque Passion, tickets for the final screening on 28 March have unfortunately sold out.
The film is also set for release in Taiwan on 27 March.
What other Tracey Choi films should I watch?
Choi’s feature film debut Sisterhood (2016) is a great companion film to Girlfriends, as it features some of the same cast and covers similar thematic grounds.
Starring veteran Hong Kong actress Gigi Leung, as well as Girlfriends’ Fish Liew and Jennifer Yu, Sisterhood tells the story of Sei, a married woman in her late 30s who is living in Taiwan, but remains haunted by her past. After finding out her friend Ling (Yu) has passed away in Macao, Sei decides to revisit the city after 15 years away, bringing back memories of her younger self (Liew) and the complex friendship she shared with Ling.
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When compared to Girlfriends, the movie Sisterhood is arguably more subtle in its depiction of queerness, as its two main characters’ romance never quite manages to blossom.
Fans of Choi can also look forward to another film from the director that is slated for release this year. The new flick features some of her previous collaborators, including Gigi Leung and Natalie Hsu, who play a teacher and student pair that decide to devote themselves to the beer business.
According to Tai Chung Pou, the film is being billed as the first co-production between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, with 95 percent of scenes shot in the city.
