The Piano in a Factory

Northeast China, the early 1990s. Facing the end of their planned economy, laid-off workers are looking for ways to repurpose their crumbling former work places-and their lives. THE PIANO IN A FACTORY is the enormously entertaining tale of a quirky band of brothers who unites one last time to pursue a common goal. Chen is an ex-steel factory worker with twin passions for his young daughter and music. He makes great sacrifices and goes to hilarious lengths to keep the girl taking piano lessons. Chen's absent wife suddenly appears, demanding custody of the child. A product of the new mercenary China, the girl says she'll go with whichever parent can provide her with a piano. Now the hustle is on! In an effort to keep his beloved daughter, Chen rustles up a motley crew to help him construct a piano from scratch in the old factory building. This upbeat film provides many surprises, including toe-tapping Russian folk tunes and eye-catching camerawork. (In Mandarin with subtitles) –B.B.