International Premiere

Have your hankies ready as Wei-te Sheng of Cape No. 7 (2008) and Seediq Bale (2011) fame gives us an ensemble drama about the people in Pediatric Oncology Ward 815 aka BIG.

The kids and their parents face various diseases with pluckiness, resolve, heaps of imagination, and the kindness and dedication of hospital staff. There is Yuan, who was born in a zoo; Shi-yan, the clever inventor who hides inside a self-made robot; Luo Heng, the adventurous biker exploring the hospital hallways; Nuala, who wears skirts due to a lump on her bottom; Jia-nong, the music-loving melancholic girl; and Da-shan, experiencing the magic of first love.

Tragic and heartwarming stories unfold as the kids and their parents navigate medical experiences, from diagnosis to treatment. In between lumbar punctures (sights are brief so the squeamish can still watch!), there are funny and heartwarming scenes, like inopportune puking to magical trips to the zoo. [Jason MAHER]