Maizi

Single mother Shi'ning visits a 'spiritual salon' out of curiosity and joins a group activity that promises to erase the past. At first glance, only Shi'ning seems to be obsessively attached to the loss and trauma she, her three siblings, and her mother experienced. But in reality, everyday life is often harsh for her mother and younger brother Shi'an as well. Ordinary images, such as an orange sock hanging on the clothesline, a wardrobe where a child hides, a stripped mannequin, or an old sweater trigger painful reminders of both personal and historical trauma for this family.

Set in Beijing during the early 1980s, Zhengwu and Zhengwen are brothers in their twenties, living their most vibrant and youthful years. Zhengwu takes his classmates and younger brother, Zhengwen out for dinner, in which he introduces Mao Zhen and her best friend, Feng Siyi. Zhengwen becomes enamored of Mao Zhen, an amicable, outgoing, and mystic young woman.

"Mayi, the protagonist in this strikingly stylised debut ... works as a removals man for a company belonging to a relative. In his spare time, he drinks and plays cards with his colleagues. At a certain point he sees an opportunity to find his way into the immediate vicinity of the beautiful Hudie and his obsession won't stop when it becomes clear that she receives a lot of male visitors. His desires and ambitions put him on the path of minor white lies, with dramatic consequences." - IFFR