2 B for Busy
The directorial debut of 1990s-born Shao Yihui, who also wrote the movie, this romantic drama with its Mandarin title-borrowed from Italian master Federico Fellini's 1969 fantasy film Fellini Satyricon-is a dark horse.
Set in western Shanghai, the film recounts how Lao Bai, an artist, tries to start a romance with Ms Li, an advertising veteran raising her daughter alone after filing for divorce from her British husband. However, his plan to enjoy a romantic night is disturbed by several unexpected visitors, including a troublesome student, his still jealous ex-wife, and a nosy neighbor.
With the dialogue in the local dialect, the film features a distinctive flavor of Shanghai, as it examines middle-aged romance.