Dumplings

This film has been selected by feminist collective Invisible Women for She’s a Maneater! Cannibalism, Consumption and Carnal Appetites, a curated programme of six repertory horror films as part of Dundead Film Festival 2026. DCA Supporters, Members and 18-25 Members get early access to tickets and passes (log in to access) with the festival opening for general sale on Fri 27 March at 10:00.

Middle-aged actress Mrs Li (Miriam Yeung) was once a sought-after starlet, but recently she’s become painfully aware of the effect that aging is having on both her career and her relationship with her philandering husband (Tony Ka-fai Leung). In a desperate attempt to reclaim her lost youth, and to distract her partner from his much younger mistress, Mrs Li tracks down the enigmatic Auntie Mei (Bai Ling), whose much sought after dumplings are rumoured to have a magical ability to reverse the aging process. But what exactly is the secret ingredient that makes these dumplings so powerful? And just how far are these women willing to go to regain the power of youth and beauty?

Screenwriter Li Pi-Hua (also known as Lilian Lee) is a celebrated author, probably best known for writing the novel Farewell My Concubine. In Dumplings she channels her ability to weave together Chinese folklore, modern Hong Kong life and complex female characters to present an intense, gothic tale of obsession and ambition. 

The stylish aesthetic, pitch black humour, and ever relevant themes around beauty standards and female aging, are strongly reminiscent of The Substance. Like Coralie Fargeat’s breakout hit, Dumplings is unafraid to embrace the ick factor, revelling in a streak of visceral body horror. Nevertheless, despite its bloody excesses, the film’s depiction of women struggling to maintain their power within a society steeped in patriarchal demands and oppressive imperial legacies, packs an undeniable satirical punch.