I just watched this film on UK TV. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first but it did capture my attention - not least because I'm not familiar with the setting in a Mao generation kindergarten boarding school. I've no idea if any of the details are factual but it reminded me of a rather Dickensian idea of bringing up children - though kinder and more humane.
This is a "foreign film" and therefore there are no car chases, no murders and no serial killers. It's about real human beings - infants in this case. If anyone is upset about seeing little kids bottoms it's because you have had your mind poisoned by Anglo-Saxon attitudes and obsession with pedophiles. Obviously you must never have been around infants - toilet training is a big part of the day! Infants are basically sweet and innocent and these kids are mostly seen in that way. The approach in this film is affectionate and realistic - kids also have their evil little ways! I think the core message is that there is not much difference between the children's Kindergarten school routines and the adult society in Mao's China. The attitudes of the children will harden in the controlled society that exists outside when the games become real. The teachers, the educators will be replaced by other kinds of educators and wrong behaviour will be punished by re-education.When you watch the last 5 minutes you will see why I came to that conclusion (could be wrong!). Natural instincts become perverted by too much control. People are so regimented that they even have to poo and pee at he same time in a line in the same place!Something like that.
You have a delightful journey getting to that point. As stated elsewhere the children's performances are completely believable. Of course, it is fiction and some dramatic license is taken in regard to the freedom of movement the little boy protagonist has.
