'On Matriarchy Lake' Premieres at Film Festival in Mexico

“On Matriarchy Lake” had its world premiere at the Broadway International Film Festival in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The independent film had a long journey to get here. It was produced during the worldwide pandemic, which challenged the filmmakers to innovate. They primarily cast local actors, with directing done remotely.

The film is a cross-cultural romance between a Chinese man and a Mosuo woman in the 1960s. The Mosuo are a minority group in China which is traditionally matriarchal. The lovers face cultural differences and community opposition. It was filmed on location in the still occupied Mosuo villages, located in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.

This is Broadway International Film Festival’s first year in Cuernavaca. Previous editions were located in Ensenada, as well as other locations in Mexico, Los Angeles, and Texas.

Broadway International Film Festival welcomed the team of “On Matriarchy Lake” with open arms. Producer Lynn Tang has a long relationship with the festival. She has collaborated with programming director Ernesto Jimenez to bring Asian films to the festival. Her work with BIFF inspired her to start her own festival - Universe Multicultural Film Festival, in Palos Verdes, California.

The screening had a great turn out. Although much of the audience spoke only Spanish, they had no problem following the story. This is a testament to the incredible actors and to the script’s emphasis on action over dialogue.

Ms. Tang was not the only representative of ‘On Matriarchy Lake’. Wenru Chen, who played the grandmother in the film, flew from China to attend the festival.

The team was accompanied by a delegation from the United Matriarchy Nations. The UMN was formed to connect and support matriarchal cultures like the Mosuo. They intend to partner with Maeya Films, the production company behind ‘On Matriarchy Lake’, to produce more films that highlight these unique cultures.

Overall, it was a great turnout. The “On Matriarchy Lake” team is grateful to all those who came to support them! They are honored to share this film with Mexican audiences and are excited to see where the film will screen next!