“LEFTOVER Women” shares the story of young, career-driven women in China who follow the traditional path of marriage or go against centuries of tradition. Co-produced by Yes Docu and ZDF Arte, the film premiered in the documentary competition at the Tribeca Film Festival’s Village East Cinema on Saturday.

Directed by Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia, the documentary follows several women of differing ages and careers as they struggle with the label “sheng nyu,” which refers to professional women over 27 who have failed to meet the societal expectation of securing a husband.

In a clip from the document, we meet Qiu Huamei, a 34-year-old lawyer who visits China’s leading dating network in search of a romantic partner. Asked what kind of man would be good for her, she answers with a familiar response heard in these conversations, “I have high standards.” Then she elaborates on what she’s looking for. “For example, he must be well-educated,” she says. “Most important, he must respect women. He should share the housework with me.”

Qiu emphasizes that importance and goes on to share that she’s been in two relationships before where the conflict came from her partner not doing enough housework. She is then told by the woman at the dating service that she’s not beautiful in a traditional sense. “I don’t mean you’re not pretty,” the woman tells her. “I mean you’re not a beauty.”

The woman points out Qiu’s age with the comment, “And also, you’re old.”

Tribeca is a prominent film festival held in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of independent films. Additional screenings of the film will follow. (SD-Agencies)