A River to Freeze

What do you want to be when you grow up? An innocent question that seems to have so many wrong answers. Especially in the Chen family, according to the twenty-year-old Suyin. Trying to prove her worth, she starts many impressive studies and quits them just as quickly after realizing she has no passion for them. Like any young adult, she tries to find her place in this world and in her chaotic family while stumbling through life. When Suyin spends her Christmas Eve dreaming away instead of helping the nearly bankrupt family restaurant, Mrs. Chen has had enough. She gives her daughter an ultimatum: choose a study before Chinese New Year and create a promising future for yourself, or give up your freedom and work for your parents.

Directed by Luca Larsen, A River to Freeze leans on a strong ensemble — Jun Jun Liang, Jenny Hsia, Aaron Wan — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2023.