Brief History of a Family

Brief History of a Family
Festivals release poster
Traditional Chinese	家庭簡史
Simplified Chinese	家庭简史
Literal meaning	A Brief History of the Family
Hanyu Pinyin	Jia ting jian shi
Directed by	Lin Jianjie
Written by	Lin Jianjie
Produced by	Lou Ying Zheng Yue Wang Yiwen
Starring	Zu Feng Guo Keyu Sun Xilun Lin Muran
Cinematography	Zhang Jiahao
Edited by	Per K. Kirkegaard
Music by	Toke Brorson Odin
Production companies	First Light Films Films du Milieu Tambo Film
Distributed by	Films Boutique
Release dates	19 January 2024 (2024-01-19) (Sundance) 17 February 2024 (2024-02-17) (Berlinale)
Running time	99 minutes
Countries	China France Denmark Qatar
Language	Mandarin
Budget	US$1.5 million

Brief History of a Family (Chinese: 家庭简史), is a 2024 mystery thriller film written and directed by Lin Jianjie in his feature directorial debut. The film, starring Zu Feng, Guo Keyu, Sun Xilun, and Lin Muran depicts a middle-class Chinese family in the post-one-child-policy era, who takes in their only son's mysterious new friend, triggering buried family tensions as secrets and feelings surface.

An international co-production, the film was selected in the Panorama section at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and was screened on 17 February 2024 for its European premiere.

Synopsis

In the film, the writer and director Lin Jianjie, unfolds a captivating narrative. Beneath the veneer of family dinners, courteous manners, and everyday school routines, profound secrets and suppressed desires simmer, ready to burst forth. The film explores the lives of a middle-class family in post one-child policy China, delving into unspoken truths, unmet expectations, and raw emotions.

Wei, an outgoing young man and the only son of a prosperous Chinese family, shares an unexpected bond with Shuo, his quiet and observant classmate, after an incident at their high school. This mysterious connection draws them closer, intertwining their lives. He introduces Shuo to his parents—a cell biologist father and a former flight attendant mother. Intrigued by Shuo's enigmatic charm, Wei's parents encourage him to spend more time with their family. As Shuo becomes increasingly integrated into their lives, he uncovers hidden layers beneath their seemingly comfortable existence. However, a tragic event shatters the fragile equilibrium, revealing old wounds and current fears. The family's facade begins to crack, and the true complexities of their relationships come to light.

Cast

• Zu Feng as Wei's father
• Guo Keyu as Wei's mother
• Sun Xilun as Yan Shuo
• Lin Muran as Tu Wei

Production

In the production phase, the project was presented at the industry event European Work in Progress, as part of the Film Festival Cologne 2022, where it won the mm filmpresse Award worth €7,500 for international festival public relations. The film made with a budget of US$1.5 million was financed by Doha Film Institute Qatar, Torino Lab and Films du Milieu. It was shot in Chengdu, Hangzhou and Beijing.

Release

Brief History of a Family had its premiere in World Cinema Dramatic Competition at 2024 Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2024.

It had its European premiere on 17 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Panorama.

Films Boutique has acquired the sales rights of the film.

The film was featured in Features section of the 71st Sydney Film Festival on June 7, 2024.

The film was also screened in 'Horizons' at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 28 June 2024.

The film was showcased in 'China on the move' at the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival on July 20, 2024. It was screened in 'Panorama' at the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival on 26 September 2024. It also made it to the Meeting Point of the 69th Valladolid International Film Festival and screened on 25 October. It competed in 2024 Stockholm International Film Festival and was screened on 9 November 2024.

The film was selected in the Foreground section of the 35th Singapore International Film Festival and was screened on 30 November 2024.

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 29 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 8 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Elena Lazic of Cineuropa reviewing the film at Sundance Film Festival praised the director writing, "the debut feature from Chinese director Lin Jianjie, skillfully builds up suspense and a fascinating, morbid intensity by showing in minute detail how easy it can be to let societal demands for excellence threaten even the most sacred bonds." Concluding her review Lazic wrote, "An assured debut displaying a fantastic control of craft and a remarkably nuanced understanding of human psychology, the film dares to expose the serious strain that social and economic expectations put on a structure once meant to be a haven of love and support."

James Mottram of South China Morning Post rated the film 3.5/5 and wrote, "There are moments of real subtlety sewn into the fabric. The performances are rightly understated too, with Lin also smartly capturing the glistening urban backdrops – everything has a cold, impersonal sheen." Mottram compared the film to British actress-director Emerald Fennell’s 2023 black comedy psychological thriller film Saltburn, which incidentally also "features an interloper penetrating the confines of a well-to-do family." In end Mottram wrote, "Brief History of a Family is a film that leaves viewers with a disquieting feeling as the credits roll."

Carlos Aguilar, reviewing at the Sundance Film Festival for Variety, wrote, "Elevated by its consistent visual inventiveness... the closer we observe, the more it reveals itself as a tale of wish fulfillment for everyone involved."

John Berra of ScreenDaily giving positive review wrote that the film has "elusive quality and uniquely disquieting tone". Berra opined thar the "ambiguity is maintained through a finely modulated quartet of performances which are in-synch with the film’s technical elements." Concluding he wrote, that the film "is not so much of a critique of China’s middle-class as the conditions that have shaped its evolution."

Accolades

Award	Date	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref.
Sundance Film Festival	26 January 2024	Grand Jury Prize – World Cinema Dramatic	Brief History of a Family	Nominated
Berlin International Film Festival	25 February 2024	Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film	Lin Jianjie	Nominated
Miskolc International Film Festival	14 September 2024	Emeric Pressburger Prize	Brief History of a Family	Nominated
Camerimage	23 November 2024	Director's Debut Competition	Jiahao Zhang	Nominated
		Cinematographer's Debut Competition		Nominated

External links

• Official website
• Brief History of a Family at IMDb 
• Brief History of a Family at Sundance
• Brief History of a Family at Berlinale