Brief History of a Family 15

An incident on the playground brings two high school boys who are worlds apart together—the outgoing and candid Wei, and the quiet yet observant Shuo.

As their friendship evolves, Wei introduces Shuo to his father, a cell biologist, and his mother, a former flight attendant. Learning that Shuo comes from a broken home, the family welcomes this underprivileged kid with enigmatic charm.

Slowly integrating himself into Wei’s family life, Shuo soon discovers that their middle-class existence is shadowed by unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions. An incident further complicates their lives in unexpected ways.

Jianjie Lin’s debut explores the social anxieties of modern China, bringing to mind the work of Michael Haneke.