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Queens of the Qing Dynasty (2023): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

Queens of the Qing Dynasty (2023) movie poster

Queens of the Qing Dynasty is a 2023 drama directed by Ashley McKenzie, starring Sarah Walker as Star, Amandeep Bhatia and Andrey Burdeyny. It runs 2 hours 2 minutes and earned $1.6 million worldwide. Critics gave it 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic.

Rotten Tomatoes
84%
worldwide gross
$1.6M
Echo Score
72
Metascore
78
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Queens of the Qing Dynasty (2023) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 2m (122 min)
Director
Ashley McKenzie
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Queens of the Qing Dynasty About?

The premise of Queens of the Qing Dynasty without spoilers.

In a quiet town away from Shanghai, a neurodivergent teenager forms a surprising connection with an international student volunteering at a local hospital. Finding solace and refuge, they share intimate secrets and personal stories through late-night talks and digital messages. This evolving bond unexpectedly transforms them both, profoundly impacting their identities and perspectives on life.

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Cast & crew

Queens of the Qing Dynasty Cast & Characters

Sarah Walker leads the cast as Star, with Amandeep Bhatia as Immigration Client and Andrey Burdeyny as Motel Owner. Directed by Ashley McKenzie; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Queens of the Qing Dynasty

· 6 more
From the director

More from Ashley McKenzie

More films directed by Ashley McKenzie, best-rated first: Werewolf, 4 Quarters, When You Sleep and Rhonda’s Party.

Full filmography
Ratings

Queens of the Qing Dynasty Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Queens of the Qing Dynasty 84% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic. Our Echo Score gives it 72/100, strongest in character & emotion (85) and weakest in story & flow (60).

72 /100

Queens of the Qing Dynasty Echo Score Breakdown

Queens of the Qing Dynasty presents a striking yet uneven cinematic experience. Its visual and auditory design, along with strong central performances, lend the film a memorable emotional core. Critics note an ambitious narrative that at times feels disorienting and the pacing can drag, particularly in external sequences. Audience feedback echoes this tension, praising the chemistry while questioning the film’s thematic depth. Consequently, the film offers a rewarding but imperfect encounter that may resonate differently on repeat viewings.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 70

    Regarding art and craft, the film’s direction showcases an audacious visual language, with an unsettled color palette that reinforces its thematic ambiguity. Critics commend moments of striking composition and the inventive electronic soundtrack, yet some note that editing choices contribute to a lingering sense of disorientation and uneven pacing. Overall, the craftsmanship is inventive but occasionally inconsistent.

  • Character & Emotion 85

    When it comes to character and emotion, the performances are highlighted as the film’s strongest element. Reviewers describe Sarah Walker’s portrayal as magnetically passive, and the chemistry between the leads as delicate yet potent, conveying nuanced vulnerability. This depth of feeling anchors the narrative, though a few critics mention occasional flatness in secondary interactions. In sum, the character work delivers a compelling emotional resonance.

  • Story & Flow 60

    Assessing story and flow, the narrative oscillates between inventive ambition and uneven cohesion. Critics applaud the film’s willingness to subvert conventional empowerment arcs and its poetic exploration of isolation, yet they also point to pacing lapses and scenes that feel extraneous, particularly when the plot wanders outside the hospital setting. These structural fluctuations result in an overall experience that is intriguing but at times disjointed.

  • Sensory Experience 80

    In terms of sensory experience, the film excels with its distinctive electronic soundtrack, which reviewers describe as otherworldly and integral to the mood. Visuals employ a muted yet purposeful palette that mirrors the protagonists’ internal states, and sound design subtly underscores emotional beats. While some viewers find the auditory landscape occasionally overwhelming, the overall sensory composition strengthens the film’s immersive quality.

  • Rewatch Factor 65

    The rewatch factor is moderate; the film’s thematic depth and unique aesthetic invite a second viewing to uncover layered symbolism, yet narrative redundancies and pacing issues may diminish repeat enjoyment. Critics note the emotional resonance and striking score as reasons to return, while some audience members feel the story offers limited new insight on subsequent watches. Overall, it holds a modest appeal for revisits.

Box office

Queens of the Qing Dynasty Box Office

Queens of the Qing Dynasty grossed $1.6 million worldwide.

2023 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.6M

International
$1.6M
Videos

Queens of the Qing Dynasty Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 1 trailer and 2 featurettes.

QUEENS OF THE QING DYNASTY Trailer | TIFF 2023
  • Featurette Spotlight on QUEENS OF THE QING DYNASTY at Berlin 2022
  • Featurette Ashley McKenzie & Sarah Walker on Queens of the Qing Dynasty

Seen Queens of the Qing Dynasty?

FAQ

Queens of the Qing Dynasty FAQ: Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Queens of the Qing Dynasty, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Queens of the Qing Dynasty?

Queens of the Qing Dynasty runs 2 hours 2 minutes (122 minutes).

When was Queens of the Qing Dynasty released?

Queens of the Qing Dynasty was released on May 5, 2023.

Who directed Queens of the Qing Dynasty?

Queens of the Qing Dynasty was directed by Ashley McKenzie.

More films by Ashley McKenzie

Who is in the cast of Queens of the Qing Dynasty?

Queens of the Qing Dynasty stars Sarah Walker as Star, Amandeep Bhatia as Immigration Client and Andrey Burdeyny as Motel Owner, among 10 credited actors.

How much did Queens of the Qing Dynasty make at the box office?

Queens of the Qing Dynasty grossed $1.6 million worldwide.

How is Queens of the Qing Dynasty rated?

Queens of the Qing Dynasty has 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 78 on Metacritic, 40% on TMDB and 3.2/5 on Letterboxd.

Does Queens of the Qing Dynasty have a post-credit scene?

No. Queens of the Qing Dynasty has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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