How far would a mother go to reverse her child’s fate? Based on writer/director Ann Hu’s story, that’s the question facing Lan (Zhu Zhu), who travels with her 9-year-old daughter Meimei (Harmonie He) from their small town in China to New York City.
Acting
Zhu Zhu's fierce, wordless determination.
Writing
Hu's personal story avoids every cheap tearjerker trap.
Direction
Two cities, one relentless emotional through-line.

Director
Ann Hu
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Ann Hu based this on her own experience with her dyslexic daughter; she struggled for years to get proper diagnosis in both China and the US. FREE
The film quietly contrasts Chinese educational rigidity with American special-needs bureaucracy—neither system wins, only mothers do. LIGHT