With this one-of-a-kind romantic drama, Derek Tsang sinks us deep into the tale of two young women, whose friendship burns as strong as an amorous passion. It has the pace and buoyancy of the most moving love stories. Their friendship, which blossoms when they are 13, is founded on a mutual curiosity of their differences, which is only amplified as they reach adulthood. Plump-faced Qiyue, aka “July” (Ma Sichun), is grounded and quiet and from a stable family; waiflike Ansheng (Zhou Dongyu) is fierce, fickle, and unafraid to explore the world even if it means living on the streets. Despite their love for one another, life—as much as their love for the same man—drives them apart. Soul Mate is an umistakably mature, honest and intelligent, and demonstrates again that Chinese-language cinema is at the vanguard of exploring the modern human condition.