Hippopotami

A middle-class family's fate becomes intertwined with their only son's enigmatic new friend in post one-child policy China, putting unspoken secrets, unmet expectations, and untended emotions under the microscope.

On a gloomy day, Gu takes a train back to his hometown for the first time in years to reunite with his wife and son, in court.

During choir formation practice, eight-year-old Yao Xiaohui, a delicate and quiet boy, is placed in the girls’ section by his homeroom teacher. Later, when school uniforms are distributed, he is mistakenly given a girl’s uniform. Rather than correcting the error, Xiaohui – naturally reserved and introspective – continues wearing it to class, unsure whether it is truly a mistake.