Uncle and House

Luo Hanxing’s cheeky feature debut follows a 100 Yuan bill around from character to character in a close-knit Chinese town. We first meet a highly educated loan shark and his minions chain smoking and drinking their unwilling host’s tea in a hilariously sardonic set piece. Soon one of their scams ignites a series of coincidences that connect them to an 11-year-old love sick hypochondriac, a local shopkeeper, and many other quirky folks. This jaunty story offers a ground level view of life in modern China, far removed from tourist attractions, highlighting instead the new generation’s relationship with money. (New York Asian Film Festival)