Directed by acclaimed Macau filmmaker Tracy Choi, Girlfriends interweaves three love stories across three decades and three cities, tracing the growth of a young woman. At 17, she is naive and inexperienced. At 22, she hesitates, lacking courage. By 34, she has matured through life’s challenges. Her journey reveals that while love can be painful, it is always worth fighting for.
The film features a powerhouse ensemble of award‑winning talent, including Fish Liew, Best Actress nominee at the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards; Jennifer Yu, Best Actress winner at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards; Elizabeth Tang, nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Best New Performer at the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards; Natalie Hsu, recipient of the “Asian Star Award” at the 2025 New York Asian Film Festival; Taiwan actress Han Ning; and Macau actress Eliz Lao.
Supported by the Cultural Development Fund of the Macao SAR Government, Girlfriends was selected under the Fourth Feature Film Production Support Scheme. Following its world premiere at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, the film quickly attracted international attention.
Most recently, it achieved another breakthrough with three nominations at the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards: Best Supporting Actress (Elizabeth Tang), Best New Performer (Elizabeth Tang), and Best Original Film Song — “Ordinary People” (composed, written, and performed by Panther Chan Lei). Tang’s performance has also earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, winning acclaim across Greater China.
At the premiere, director Tracy Choi led the cast — including Fish Liew, Jennifer Yu, Elizabeth Tang, Natalie Hsu, Eliz Lao, and singer Panther Chan Lei — in dazzling appearances that delighted fans with close‑up interactions.
Special officiating guests included Ho Hong Pan, The Head of Department for Promoting Cultural and Creative Industries of the Cultural Affairs Bureau; Kenneth Feng, CEO and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited; and Winnie Tsang, Founder of Golden Scene Company Limited, representing the organizers.
The evening continued with a celebratory toast, a screening of the film, and a post‑screening Q&A session, where the director and cast shared heartfelt stories from the production.
Having first been nominated at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2017 for her debut feature Sisterhood, Macau director Tracy Choi has continued to devote herself to filmmaking over the years. With Girlfriends, she once again brings Macau’s creative culture to the international stage.
Reflecting on the premiere, Choi shared: “We share the same passion for film and entertainment as MGM and we are deeply grateful for their support during production and for providing the outstanding “Fantasy Box” venue, which made our premiere possible. Bringing the film home to Macau is both exciting and nerve‑wracking. Sharing it with so many family members and friends felt truly heartwarming, and we deeply sensed the support of the entire Macau community. Ten years ago, I worked with lead actresses Fish Liew and Jennifer Yu on Sisterhood, also filmed in Macau. Reuniting with them for Girlfriends makes this city all the more significant to us.”
