When the Tide Rises

Overview

When homosexuality was depathologized in China in 2002, it still remained a taboo for the most. Homosexual lovers lived in the shadow of marginalization, defending their silent love against the prying gazes. It is also in this year that Xia Gu and Amber Zheng, two lesbian lovers, choose to adopt the 10-year-old Ellie from the orphanage. Yet facing the strong opposition from her traditional parents, Xia is torn in halves and forced to rethink what a family truly means to her. At the same time, her self-doubt also stirs up insecurities inside Amber and Ellie. When she decides to return to hometown to take care of her suicidal mother, the tension in this newly formed family mounts up once again.