Hani

As a low-budget independent film, it gave me a glimpse into life in a rural Yunnan village and the experiences of left-behind children (though I'm not sure how much distance there is between the film and reality). The Hani landscape is beautiful, and life feels absurd.

I was quite surprised to learn that the young actors weren't professionals-they delivered such incredibly convincing performances! The child actors were amazing, and so was the entire crew.

The female lead is absolutely stunning and full of charisma-she has such a naturally cinematic face. I wonder if she plans to continue acting. I hope this film might bring some positive changes to her life.

I wasn't a big fan of the ending-it felt a bit forced. My rating goes to the talented local child actors and the cinematography.

Watched it at POFF, the story follows two Hani (name of the ethnic group) children from the Yunnan border trying to gather a "huge sum" for their marriage, bringing up issues like poverty, village, ethnic minorities, traditional customs and "modern civilization." The filmmakers compare this struggle to a small household fire pit crashing into a massive iceberg of power.

The actors are said to be local kids, and their performances feel incredibly real, like deception, violence, and crime are just part of their everyday lives. After seeing so many films that romanticize rural life and suffering, this one doesn't hold back. It shows everything raw and unfiltered-though, of course, that comes at a cost.

It features a daring theme of child marriage, a highly unique marginal narrative, excellent visual, and great performances by amateur actors.

From the perspective of protecting minority ethnic cultures, it is a quite excellent work. It also challenges viewers' existing notions of social ethics and gender politics.

It doesn't allow you to simply judge right or wrong, but instead urges you to reflect on "why." With that said, I would have liked to see more of the girl's perspective, how she views "marriage" and "love", Is the former inherently justified? Is the latter "natural"? What truly lies at the core of her needs?