House of Fools

The Graduates This Song GAO directed documentary follows the stories of Feng Haitao, Li Yuchun, and Jin Lian after they graduate from the Sichuan Normal University. As they seek employment in one of China's largest cities, Chengdu, the program makes us question the validity of a college diploma and whether wealth is more important than education. Following each graduate from the moment they receive their diplomas, we track their highs and lows as the pressures of the modern world are thrust upon them. As we become more connected with their lives we start to wonder that even with China's growing influence in the world, are there still enough jobs for China's next generation of graduates?

The Final Migration In this documentary, we follow the twenty-three families strong nomadic Guoshan tribe, a sub-group of Yaos. They follow a thousand year old tradition of selecting a new temporary home every two or three generations, usually distancing themselves from their previous temp-home by several hundreds of miles. Provided now with a substantial piece of land for them to build their own permanent village and farm their own land, the tribe's leader as well as thirty members decide to precede the tribe's move. Although they have a strong sense of community they are used to operating individually for their survival. In this instance, as they learn to become farmers, it has been decided between them to operate under a collective scheme, just as in the early days of China's communist revolution.

The Big Family Zhou Zhi, the patriarch of the family, rules strictly following the handed-down 'hereditary tradition': listening to no one. In the face of new economic challenges, he decides and acts totally arbitrarily. Unable to adapt himself to "modern times", not the least because of his stubbornness, he runs into heavy debt putting the family in great financial difficulty. Turning to his daughters and sons-in-law for support, he receives a cold welcome. Around the almost larger-than-life patriarchal figure of Zhou Zhi, this film vividly portrays the difficulties of an ordinary Chinese family, with its members having to change their lifestyle in the face of economic difficulties and a shifting culture.

Piano Dream Yin Hong and her husband were born in the 50's. The Cultural Revolution dramatically impacted their youth; there was no place for any artistic expression. Yet they loved music and they have a gifted son, Lu Nan, who today is 15 year's old. "Piano Dream" is a story about parents investing everything they have for their only child's success. It is a dream journey binding two generations. The film brings attention to a woman's choice and fate, probing the impact of her dream on her son's maturation and their relationship. It shows the son's bitterness to a point where one asks oneself if the mother's dream is not becoming her son's nightmare. Filmed over a period of nearly three years, this documentary keeps faithful to real life, but maintains a poetic feel.

Le petit prince du peupl... In the 18th century, a young prince is crowned king of a small kingdom. He tries to rule justly, but is undermined by his cruel aunt.

Of Mothers and Daughters There are more than 2,500 pensioners living in a large private retirement home located in a suburb of Canton (Guangzhou), China. As we discover the daily lives of these people, the film focuses on the lives of two elderly ladies: Ms. Kuang and Ms Xie. The documentary reveals how today's urban China can be reflected by the story of these two women, who find themselves away from their families, in a retirement home. Here, in the wake of serious health considerations, they have to build new relationships, define a new rhythm to their daily life and invent new ways to be with others.

Ween: At the Cat's Cradl... Full show from 1992. Featuring the early days of live Ween. The duo of Dean & Gene with samples, tapes, and a drum machine. At the Cat's Cradle, 1992 was the sixth live album by Ween; the release featured this performance as a DVD extra.

Thaiflavor Fang Bingbing, who was obsessed with martial arts from childhood, was given a secret martial arts book by chance and has since become a "hutong bully". After winning the championship, he tries to enter an international Muay Thai competition, but he is instantly KO'd in the audition. Once a culinary god, Papa Mo is betrayed by his partners, his business fails, he loses his sense of taste, becomes destitute, owes huge amounts of money to loan sharks and spends his days getting drunk with alcohol. To encourage his father to reclaim his former culinary glory, Mal sets out to help him regain his confidence. To help his father and daughter, who are kind enough to take him in, Fang Bingbing reveals his "gift" of having a special sense of taste. Thus begins a hilarious and inspirational comedy about a kung fu fighter with martial arts dreams and a Thai culinary god who turns his life around to reach the top

Nostalgia

About the Girl Who Found... When her parents are gone for their jobs, a little girl goes everywhere around the house to find her teddy bear, instead of playing the piano she was supposed to.