Brings viewers into a small Chinese city and inspires familiarity with the rhythms of everyday existence, with people's dreams, shortcomings and illusions in a way that is universal.

In a grimy provincial industrial city, a talented but unattractive schoolteacher dreams of an operatic career.

Set in a small Chinese village where HIV virus is spreading rapidly as a result of illicit blood trade, Mo shu wai zhuan revolves around De Yi and Qinqin are both estranged from their respective family because of their disease and unexpectedly find love with each other by their misfortunes.

A superb package of shorts by four leading East Asian directors: Ann Hui on a male-to-female sex change, Kim Tae-yong on an emotional imposture, Gu Changwei on pregnancy in China and Tsai Ming-Liang on time and the city of Hong Kong.