The Chinese film "A Brief History of the Family" (SIFF PROJECT 2018), written and directed by Lin Jianjie, starring Zu Feng, Guo Keyu, Sun Xilun, and Lin Muran, and produced by Lou Ying, Zheng Yue, and Wang Yiwen, was shortlisted for Sundance The world feature film competition se

"A Brief History of the Family" poster

The Chinese film "A Brief History of the Family" is written and directed by Lin Jianjie, starring Zu Feng, Guo Keyu, Sun Xilun, and Lin Muran, and produced by Lou Ying, Zheng Yue, and Wang Yiwen ( SIFF PROJECT 2018) was shortlisted for the World Feature Film Competition at the Sundance Film Festival and recently had its world premiere. The film was also shortlisted for the Panorama Section of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. "A Brief History of the Family" is the first Chinese-language directorial debut in history to be nominated for both the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival. It is also the first Chinese-language film to be nominated for both the Sundance Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival since 2006.

This project was shortlisted for the Youth Film Program Unit of Shanghai International Film Festival Film Project Venture Capital in 2018 and made its debut to the industry, and won the Best Young Director Project. So far, 70 of the films that have been shortlisted for SIFF PROJECT and completed production have been selected for major film festivals, of which 46 have been shortlisted for international Class A film festivals. The application for venture capital projects for this film festival is in progress.

"A Brief History of Family" tells the story of the seemingly peaceful life of Tu Wei's family, which was broken by a mysterious boy. The arrival of the mysterious boy Yan Shuo breaks the power triangle between Tu Wei and his parents. In the process of the family's self-regulation and finding a new balance point, unknown desires and secrets, and the tension and undercurrents in daily life are released. Spatial, interpersonal and emotional boundaries become blurred. The meaning of home has also been redefined.

Sundance Film Festival selectors said that the film's distinctive and engaging style and unique and keen capture of the characters' psychology and social identity have brought a gratifying new voice to Chinese-language films on the world stage.

"A Brief History of the Family" stills

This film brings together four powerful actors, Zu Feng, Guo Keyu, Sun Xilun and Lin Muran. The male lead Zu Feng has starred in "Latent", "Ode to Joy", "The Fog of the Octagonal Pavilion", etc., and has been shortlisted for many major film festivals with his outstanding film works. Guo Keyu has starred in works such as "Red Cherry" and "Tiananmen". She has won the Best Actress Award at the Shanghai International Film Festival and the Best Actress Award at the Popular Film Hundred Flowers Award. After many years of silence, Guo Keyu returns to the big screen through "A Brief History of Family". The new generation actor Sun Xilun has participated in many film and television works such as "China Ping Pong" and "Galaxy Tutorial", and Lin Muran has participated in the movies "Detective Chinatown" and "Tomb Robbers". Lin Muran's candid performance in this film is in sharp contrast to the mysterious and reserved Sun Xilun. The rivalry between the two teenagers is quite interesting.

Director Lin Jianjie stated at the SIFF PROJECT

"A Brief History of Family" is director Lin Jianjie's first feature film. Lin Jianjie graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. The short film "Gu" was shortlisted for the competition section of the Foyle Film Festival in the UK, and later premiered domestically at the Pingyao International Film Festival. The short film "The Visit" has participated in more than ten international film festivals and was released in Japan.

Director Lin Jianjie (middle) and producers Zheng Yue (left) and Wang Yiwen (right) at the SIFF PROJECT presentation

In 2018, director Lin Jianjie and his team were shortlisted for the 21st session with "A Brief History of Family" The Shanghai International Film Festival Film Project Venture Capital made its debut in the industry for the first time. The project won the honor of Best Young Director Project for its precise perspective and solid story. The jury commented: The director has a keen eye and uses the shell of a genre film to explore the impact of the two-child policy on modern families.

Director Lin Jianjie (left) and starring Lin Muran (right) at the shooting scene

Following SIFF PROJECT, "A Brief History of the Family" received support from the Paris Region Film Fund in 2020, the French CNC World Cinema Fund in 2021 and the Danish DFI Fund . In January 2022, "A Brief History of Family" will be launched in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. In 2023, the film was shortlisted for the Hong Kong International Film Festival's Films in Production program and won the HAF Cannes Award.

The Sundance Film Festival was founded in 1984 and is the world's largest independent film festival. The venture capital project "Seven Days in Late Spring" (SIFF PROJECT 2021) was selected as a Sundance Film Festival workshop in 2022.The Berlin International Film Festival is one of the international Class A film festivals and is known as the world's three major international film festivals along with the Cannes International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival. The venture capital project SIFF PROJECT 2010 won the Best Film and Best Actor awards at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2014. Including "A Brief History of the Family", a total of 9 venture capital project works have been shortlisted for the Berlin International Film Festival.

"A Brief History of the Family" completed its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and will make its European debut at the Berlin International Film Festival in February this year. The film is scheduled to be released in China in 2024 and will meet domestic audiences, so stay tuned.