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My Father's Son film image; boxing gloved hand punching and shattering a mirror with a face reflecting in it

My Father's Son

Bi Ru Fu Zi / 比如父子

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Canadian Premiere

Qiu Sheng’s film tells the story of Qiao, a man trying to come to grips with his past. Divided into three time periods, the film begins with Qiao as an 18-year-old (played by Sun Ning). His father Jiantang (Song Yang), a failed boxer, has just died. As we move deeper into the past, we see you young Qiao (Luo Weichen), subjected to Jiantang’s violent and neglectful parenting, while in the future, Qiao builds an AI model of his father to compete with in virtual boxing matches.

Qiu concocts something unusual in this film, fusing the visionary ethos of science fiction with the intimacy of a family drama. What the past, present, and future sections all have in common is a hushed, contemplative atmosphere — there’s a very appealing gentleness to My Father’s Son, even in its moments of volatility.

 

Best Director, Shanghai 2025

Director
Cast

Song Yang, Sun Ning, Tong Chenjie, Alice Ko, Sun Anke, Zhao Jiali

Credits
Country of Origin

China/France

Year

2025

Language

In Mandarin with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+

At International Village

19+

At Fifth Avenue

100 min
Award Winners Cinemas of Asia Drama Family Relations
Jello Effects Films, Mi Xiao Mi

Book Tickets

Thursday October 09

6:00 pm
Hearing Assistance Subtitles
Fifth Avenue Cinema - 19+ only
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Saturday October 11

1:00 pm
Hearing Assistance Subtitles
International Village 9
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Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Wang Hongwei

Producer

Zhang Yuxuan, Jia Ruocheng, Charles Gillibert

Screenwriter

Qiu Sheng

Cinematography

Zhang Jiahao

Editor

Louise Jaillette, Zhang Zhongchen

Production Design

Li Xinhe

Original Music

Luo Keju, Adrien Casalis

Qiu Sheng headshot

Qiu Sheng

Qiu Sheng was born in Hangzhou, China. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering before transitioning to the world of filmmaking. His feature debut Suburban Birds was selected for the 2018 Locarno Film Festival along with more than 20 other international film festivals, including São Paulo, BFI, CPH:PIX, and New Directors/New Films. His short film Double Helix (2021) won Best Short Film at the Shanghai International Film Festival and Best International Short Film at the Ghent Film Festival.

Filmography: Suburban Birds (2018)

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