Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Xiaodan He has returned to Montreal for her latest feature, Montreal, My Beautiful, a cinematic tribute to the Canadian city she has called home since emigrating from China 24 years ago. The film, which debuted in 2025, reflects her personal connection to Montreal and offers a nuanced portrayal of life in the city through the lens of a queer Chinese woman.
After studying filmmaking at the Beijing Film Academy and screenwriting at the Université du Québec, He drew on inspirations from acclaimed directors Hou Hsiao-hsien, Krzysztof Kieslowski, and Abbas Kiarostami to create a work marked by poetic observation and authenticity. Rejecting dramatization and stereotyping, He sought to focus on honest storytelling, emphasizing the humanity of her characters beyond their sexual orientation or cultural background.
Montreal, My Beautiful premiered at the 37th Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in early September and was previously screened at several Canadian venues, including the Festival du Nouveau Cinema in Montreal, the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, and the Windsor International Film Festival.
Casting for the lead role of Feng Xia presented a particular challenge for He, who wanted an actress with lived experience of the Asian immigrant journey. She ultimately enlisted Joan Chen, known for her roles in Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (1987) and her directorial work in Autumn in New York (2000). Chen connected deeply with the character’s late-in-life self-discovery and courage. During production, Chen navigated the constraints typical of independent filmmaking, adapting to tight schedules and budgetary limits that precluded multiple takes.
The film also features John Xu, a former engineer in his fifties making his acting debut as Feng Xia’s husband. Xu’s background as an immigrant who encountered underemployment paralleled elements of his role, adding further authenticity to the story.
He attributed much of the project’s realization to public funding from Canadian cultural institutions such as the Canada Council for the Arts. She noted that unlike the reliance on private investors common in places like Hong Kong, mainland China, or the United States, Canada’s public funding model suited her preference to focus on creative work rather than fundraising, despite its competitive and bureaucratic nature.
Looking ahead, He plans to return to China for her next film, described as a “mother and daughter revenge film,” to be shot in Yunnan province, where she previously filmed the 2020 documentary My Father’s Journey—a personal exploration of her father’s Nazi roots.
With a career spanning decades, He encourages emerging filmmakers to engage deeply with life and maintain mindfulness in their work. “Observe life, be a mindful person and experience all the big and small moments around you,” she advised, underscoring the importance of authenticity in storytelling.