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The Crossing

Name: The Crossing
Director: Bai Xue
Released: 2018
Duration: 99 min

Representation Score

4.8/10

Fair

2018

Director

Bai Xue

Runtime

99 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Crossing is a gritty, socio-economic drama centered on the friction between geographic borders and economic disparity. It explores how the pressure of living between Hong Kong and Shenzhen can dismantle personal and familial stability. The film's strength lies in its portrayal of a female protagonist exercising a significant role in driving the story within a high-stakes criminal environment. It uses the protagonist's pursuit of a personal dream to challenge conventional moral and legal structures. However, the film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and disabilities. While it provides a deep dive into regional Chinese identities, it does not engage with broader multi-ethnic or multi-layered narratives.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Crossing have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include explicit representations of LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex relationships. The protagonist's close friendship does not explore queer identity or challenge assumptions about heterosexual relationships.

How does The Crossing portray gender?

Fair

Peipei serves as a strong female protagonist who navigates male-dominated criminal circles. She demonstrates a significant role in driving the story and survival instincts, avoiding submissive stereotypes by actively driving the smuggling plot.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Crossing?

Fair

The story focuses on the localized study of Cantonese and Mainland Chinese identities. It avoids homogeneity by highlighting the specific cultural friction between residents of Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

How does The Crossing represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative prioritizes social realism over traditional morality. It frames the protagonist's criminal descent as a response to systemic economic pressures rather than simple villainy.

Does The Crossing include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no visible or mentioned depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

Strong female protagonist navigating dangerous, male-dominated criminal landscapes.
Nuanced exploration of regional identity and the cultural friction between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Realistic portrayal of how systemic economic pressures impact individual and family stability.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or exploration of non-straight-centered identities.
Absence of characters or narratives addressing physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Limited engagement with multi-ethnic or broader global cultural perspectives.

Official Synopsis

Studying in Hong Kong but living in Shenzhen, Peipei has spent 16 years in her life travelling between these two cities. To realize the dream of seeing snow in Japan with her bestie, Peipei joins a smuggling gang and uses her student identity to smuggle iPhones from Hong Kong to Mainland. Her family life and friendships begin to fall apart. The daily life of Peipei starts to get out of control.

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