26 Happiness Road

The stark contrast between city and village life are personified in a father-daughter relationship strewn with misread intentions and emotional distance. Xun-Qing, a longtime city-girl from the country side, revisits her village after some years to see her father, Zhou, a soft-spoken elderly man who owns and still operates his humble brick factory. However, now he does so with visibly aging hands. A worried Xun-Qing wholeheartedly suggests he move to the city to live a "better life" with her. Their already fractious relationship further deteriorates when her offer is met with Zhou's emphatic rejection, thus re-opening past wounds turning conversations into quarrels. Caught in the midst of the storm are the brick factory workers, one of whom is Xiao-Bing - a hard-working, steadfast young man unorphaned by Zhou as a child. Throughout the ordeal, Xun-Qing finds familiar and kindred solace in Xiao-Bing's blunt brotherly advice, just like their childhood years.

Directed by Chak Piu Chiu, 26 Happiness Road leans on a strong ensemble — Yung Yung Yu, Heng Renjun, Hui Qiang Wang — 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 2010.