Wang Jiayi

University lecturer Xiao Renyuan returns to his hometown to attend a funeral and, along the way, encounters civil servant Leng Chunhua, who is heading to Shierpan Village for targeted poverty alleviation work. Inspired by the efforts of the poverty alleviation team, the traditionally minded Zhang Gui undergoes a change in mindset: adjusting agricultural structures, embracing technological innovation, and joining forces with impoverished households to fight the battle against poverty. Meanwhile, with Chunhua's help, the emotional rift between father and son is gradually healed.

Imitating the narrative flows of a reality show, Tao creates a fictional scene of mediation, presenting a Chinese family’s complex relationship dynamics. As the plot unfolds, Tao highlights the touchy feelings and melodramatic relationships between the scene’s women. The tension between characters, as well as the film’s final chaotic climax, continuously explore character roles and their performativity. Tao recreates scenes from the night of the shoot and invites the audience to join and watch it “live,” thereby creating a passage from reality into this fictional world.