On the evening of May 16 (local time), Su Min graced the red carpet in front of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, dressed in an indigo cheongsam intricately embroidered with traditional Suzhou-style patterns.

Just after turning 61, she entered the world cinema hall alongside director Yin Lichuan, with her life serving as the inspiration for the Chinese film Like A Rolling Stone. She described her trip to Cannes as "another bold departure" and expressed gratitude to her past self for having had the courage to leave home and drive across the country on her own.

Su Min Stands on the Red Carpet alongside Director Yin Lichuan

The Resolve to Break Free

September 24, 2020, was the day when 56-year-old Su Min made the life-changing decision to "leave".

Before her departure, Su Min saw herself simply as an ordinary housewife from Zhengzhou, Henan Province. Years of marriage had left her feeling stifled and eventually led to a diagnosis of moderate depression.

That day, with just over 2,000 yuan and unwavering determination, she left Zhengzhou to embark on a solo road trip. At the same time, she launched a self-media account called "50岁阿姨自驾游(50-Year-Old Auntie's Road Trip Adventures)."

Su Min's Second Half of Life Began with her "Departure"

"The first half of my life was for my family and children, while the second half is for myself - exploring the world alone with my car." This is her profile. In a short term, her account gained significant attention, with her Douyin following now reaching 3.72 million.

In less than five years since her departure, Su Min has crafted the life she once dreamed of: writing books, traveling the world, and creating videos. Her story has inspired countless women facing similar marital challenges, and she has become a symbol of awakening for millions of Chinese women.

In September 2024, "Like A Rolling Stone" premiered. Filmed in Zhengzhou, it captures the essence of Guancheng District, with the old streets, historic buildings, and bustling street life woven into the narrative. Focused on the challenges faced by women, the film explores the emotional toll of intergenerational dynamics, sparking widespread discussions on women's rights, self-awareness, and the pursuit of personal value.

The Film Poster: "Like A Rolling Stone"

"Another Bold Departure"

Su Min once recounted that when she first learned her story would be made into a film, she wondered: Is the story of an ordinary person really worth telling on the big screen?

Before the film's premiere, Su Min and her daughter were among the first viewers. Lines like "I just want to go out and see if there is another way to live" struck a deep chord with the audience, moving Su Min to tears.

Su Min shared her thoughts on watching the film, "I often got messages from young friends saying, 'You are such an amazing woman.' But I always felt like a drop in the ocean. Seeing 'myself' in the film - lost in endless housework, longing to live for myself, and finally deciding to go on a road trip - I realized what it means to be seen."

On May 16, 2025 (Beijing time), Su Min and Yin Lichuan graced the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. With a confident smile and presence, Su Min embodied the elegance of Eastern women —an ordinary woman, with the "resolve to break free", once again found herself embracing the vastness of distant horizons.

On the afternoon of May 17, Su Min posted an update on social media: 

"As I walked the red carpet at Cannes, I wanted to tell the world: In this moment, I am not a mother, a wife, or a daughter - I am simply myself! I'm grateful to 'Like A Rolling Stone' and Director Yin Lichuan, and most of all, to the past myself who had the courage to walk away. I'm one of many like you! May more and more ordinary people be seen."

Su Min has swapped the white Polo she drove when leaving Zhengzhou four years ago for a motorhome. After deciding to divorce in 2024, she told the Dingduan News reporter that her life was entering a new chapter. At 60, she realized that time to follow her heart was limited, so she's determined to break free of the constrains. From then on, her entire life is about "starting" rather than "departing".

On May 17, the video of Su Min arriving at Cannes garnered massive likes and heartfelt messages. One viewer commented: Auntie Su, you've shown me the endless possibilities for ordinary people. You've inspired so many women to find their true selves. Thank you for giving us the courage to move forward. (Source/Dingduan News Reporter/Yang Xiaoyan Translator/Hong Jianyuan Proofreader/Ding Lan)

从郑州“出走”的苏敏，一路走上戛纳红毯

当地时间5月16日晚，戛纳电影宫前，身着一袭靛蓝苏绣旗袍的苏敏亮相红毯。

刚过完61岁生日的她，以中国电影《出走的决心》人物原型的身份，与导演尹丽川携手并肩走进世界电影殿堂。

顶端新闻记者曾多次报道苏敏的故事，她把戛纳之行称为“再一次大胆出走”，也想谢谢曾经决心出走的自己。

出走的决心

2020年9月24日，是56岁的苏敏下定“出走的决心”的日子。

出走之前，苏敏眼中的自己，只是来自河南省郑州市的一位平淡、普通的家庭主妇。多年的婚姻让她感到压抑，并患上中度抑郁。

那天她开着车，带上2000多元毅然从郑州出发，自此踏上自驾之旅，同时经营自媒体账号“50岁阿姨自驾游”。

苏敏的后半生，从“出走”开始。

“前半生为家庭为孩子，后半生为自己，一人一车看世界”是她的简介，短时间内账号收获大量关注，单是抖音平台如今就有372万粉丝。

写书、旅行、拍视频……出走不满5年，苏敏把日子过成了她向往的样子。她的故事，鼓舞着不少和曾经的她一样身处婚姻困境的女性，她也成为千万中国女性心中“觉醒的符号”。

2024年9月，由苏敏为人物原型，根据其真实经历改编的电影《出走的决心》上映，电影在郑州市取景，通过镜头语言，将管城回族区的老街巷、老建筑、市井烟火气等元素融入剧情之中。

该影片由尹丽川执导，聚焦女性困境，深刻呈现了系统性的代际压迫，引发社会各界对女性生存现状、自我意识觉醒和自我价值追求的广泛讨论。女演员咏梅在片中饰演“李红”，她生动演绎了女主角从压抑到觉醒，并出走寻找自我的过程。

“再一次大胆出走”

苏敏曾讲述，得知她的经历要搬上大银幕，起初她很疑惑：普通人的小故事，也值得拍成电影吗？

影片上映前，苏敏和女儿作为最早一批观众看到影片，“我就想出去看看，看看日子还有没有别的过法”等台词让观众感同身受，苏敏观影时也忍不住落泪。

苏敏曾谈到自己的观影感受：“之前我总是会收到很多年轻朋友发来的消息说，‘阿姨你真的是位伟大的女性’，我总觉得自己只是做了很小的事，可看到电影里，那个迷失在没完没了家务里的‘我’，那个想要为自己活一回而挣扎的‘我’，那个终于决心出走去自驾游的‘我’……原来‘被看见’是这种感觉。”

该电影最终收获1.24亿元票房和豆瓣8.8的高分，成为2024年下半年中国电影的一匹黑马。

北京时间2025年5月16日，苏敏和尹丽川携手亮相戛纳电影节，据悉，此次二人是受品牌方之邀，走上戛纳参赛电影《爱丁顿》的映前红毯。红毯之上，苏敏用自信的微笑、从容的姿态，诠释着东方女性之美——一个普通女性，怀抱“出走的决心”，再次抵达了辽阔的远方。

5月17日下午，苏敏在社交媒体发布最新动态：当我走上戛纳红毯的时候，我想告诉全世界：这一刻，我不是妈妈，不是妻子，不是女儿，我就是我自己！感谢电影《出走的决心》和导演尹丽川，更谢谢那个曾经决定出走的我。我代表你们！希望越来越多的普通人被看见。

曾经驾驶着一辆白色Polo车从郑州出发的苏敏，现在的代步工具早已换为房车。2024年决定离婚后，她曾告诉顶端新闻记者，人生即将开启新的篇章，60岁的她也许已经没剩下多少年能快乐了，在此之前先摆脱束缚吧。以后她的生活没有“出走”，只有出发。

5月17日，苏敏走出国门、抵达戛纳的视频收获大量点赞和网友祝福，有观众在评论区留言：苏敏阿姨，你让我看到普通人的更多可能，你影响了很多女性去寻找自我，谢谢你让大家找到决心。（来源/顶端新闻 记者/杨晓妍 编译/洪建园 英文审校/丁岚 ）

Web editors: Tong Lin, Li Siyao