Local screening and panel discussion explores gender representation in Asian cinema

Cardiff University’s School of Modern Languages hosted the event All Shall Be Well: Exploring Gender Representation in Asian Cinemas at Chapter Arts Centre on 25 January 2026.

The event comprised a public film screening and panel discussion co-organised by Dr Elaine Chung – lecturer in Chinese Studies - and Nomad Reading Darllen Nomad C.B.C. and supported by the Wales Strategic Migration Partnership and the School of Modern Languages Seeding Connections Fund.

The event featured a public screening of All Shall Be Well (2024), a Hong Kong film directed by Ray Yeung. The film explores the meaning of “family” in contemporary Hong Kong through the story of a long-term lesbian couple whose relationship is thrown into crisis following the death of one partner. Through its sensitive engagement with themes of grief, inheritance, and family dynamics, the film highlights the legal and emotional precarity faced by same-sex couples in Hong Kong. All Shall Be Well has received international recognition, screening at major festivals including the Göteborg Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, and Sydney Film Festival, and winning the Teddy Award for Best Feature at the Berlinale.

The screening was followed by a panel discussion hosted by Dr Chung. The panel brought together scholars and community voices to reflect on LGBTQ+ representation in Asian cinema and media. Panellists included Dr Eva Li, Lecturer at King’s College London and a specialist in queer media and fandom in Asia; Dr Helena Lopes, Lecturer at the School of History, Archaeology and Religion (SHARE), Cardiff University; and Dr Meena Saverimuttu, Lecturer at the School of English, Communication and Philosophy (ENCAP), Cardiff University. The panel also welcomed Jia Wei Lee from Glitter Cymru, a social support group for LGBTQ+ Global Majority communities in South Wales, who contributed an important activist and community-based perspective to the discussion.

The panel explored a wide range of issues, including the authenticity of LGBTQ+ representation in Asian popular culture, casting practices and production constraints, the legal precarity faced by same-sex couples, and the role of media culture in shaping social attitudes. Panellists also reflected on the global circulation of LGBTQ+ screen content and the tensions between local contexts and international audiences.

At the end of the event, a message from director Ray Yeung was read and shared with the audience. In his message, Yeung thanked participants for their engagement and encouraged continued empathy, dialogue, and awareness around the legal rights and protections of civil partnerships.

Reflecting on the event, Dr Chung highlighted the value of bringing together academic perspectives and community-based activism. The event also fostered new connections and collaboration between colleagues across different schools at Cardiff University, contributing to emerging interdisciplinary conversations aligned with the development of the School of Global Humanities.

The event was attended by around 40 members of the public, demonstrating strong community interest in LGBTQ+ issues, Asian cinema, and social justice.