The hit comedy has struck a chord by celebrating female friendship and pushing back against misogyny

Just over a year ago, Xi Jinping told China’s national women’s congress that the Communist party must “actively foster a new type of marriage and childbearing culture”. For the last two years, there has been not one woman on the 24-strong politburo (no women have ever reached its standing committee, China’s most senior political body). Activism on women’s issues, as in other areas, has been pushed underground.

Yet while the political environment is dismal, the unexpected success of a low-budget comedy speaks volumes about the way that feminism has gone mainstream in China. This winter’s surprise hit has been Her Story, the tale of a do-it-all single mother’s unexpected friendship with an artsy, sentimental neighbour, which topped the Chinese box office.