The latest episode of Sounds of Film features an in-depth conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, discussing her powerful new documentary Mistress Dispeller. The film has been featured at the Venice International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and the Port Jefferson Documentary Film Festival. Known for her intimate and visually arresting storytelling, Lo joins host Tom Needham to explore the making of the film and the emotional complexities behind its real-life love triangle in contemporary China.

Mistress Dispeller follows a woman who hires a professional “mistress dispeller” to go undercover and end her husband’s affair. With unprecedented access to all sides of the triangle, the documentary unfolds as a deeply human portrait of love, loyalty, and emotional contradiction, revealing how intimacy and betrayal can coexist in unexpected ways. The movie is available on the Criterion Channel.

Elizabeth Lo is an award-winning director, producer, and cinematographer whose work has premiered at major festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, Venice, TIFF, and IDFA. Her debut feature Stray earned international acclaim, winning Best International Feature at Hot Docs and receiving nominations from the Independent Spirit Awards and Cinema Eye Honors. Her films are known for their observational precision and emotional depth, placing her among the most distinctive voices in contemporary documentary cinema.

Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is a long-running film, music, and ideas podcast featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures in cinema and culture. Past guests have included Alexander Payne, Alec Baldwin, Billy Joel, Laurie Anderson, Jordan Peele, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Cicely Tyson, Chuck D, and Cornel West, among many others shaping the cultural landscape.

The Sounds of Film podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.