Wild Sparrow

The impending closure of his school forces 12-year-old Han to leave behind his grandmother’s idyllic mountain home and relocate to Taipei to live with his estranged mother, Li. But life in the city is fraught with adversity - especially for Li, who, after being spurned by her lover, takes a series of degrading nightclub jobs to support herself and her son. Deeply spiritual yet grounded in unflinching realism, this exquisitely photographed drama explores the human capacity for compassion and love. (Chicago International Film Festival)