Shattered (2011)

In a small town situated on the northeastern border of China, once a part of Manchukuo and prematurely burdened with economic decline, lived the Tang family. Each member possessed a natural gift for storytelling, exuding a mesmerizing linguistic charm whenever they faced the camera. Old Tang, the patriarch, reminisced about pivotal events in his life, intertwining tales of grand historical upheavals with the unfortunate twists of personal destiny. Meanwhile, his children faced their own life challenges, leading to strained relationships with their father.

The Two Shovels (2017)

In Shattered, the third son of the Tang family inadvertently caused a fatal incident with two shovels, leading to over a decade of imprisonment. Faced with this prolonged ordeal, his son, Tang Xiao Bao, takes on the responsibility of raising funds to secure his father’s release. Xu Tong employs a cheerful and humorous tone to depict the tragic fate of seemingly insignificant individuals, akin to chaff in the wind.