Shi Qi

When Seventeen was two, his father abandoned him at a hotel and died that same night. The boy was taken in by a wealthy couple from Beijing who raised him in luxury; until, years later, police reunited him with his birth mother. Forced to leave the only home he knew, Seventeen struggles to adapt to rural poverty and a controlling mother traumatized by loss. Though she loves him deeply, her fear of losing him again becomes suffocating, even preventing him from taking his high school entrance exam. Meanwhile, his former adoptive parents return to the village and adopt another child, whose privileged life becomes a painful reminder of what Seventeen lost. Torn between gratitude and longing, Seventeen dreams of escaping back to the city through education but must first find the strength to reclaim his future.

Directed by Joe Chow, Shi Qi leans on a strong ensemble — Joan Chen, Sam Chow, Vision Wei — 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 family titles of 2008.