Xu Fan is a Chinese actress who was born on January 15, 1967, in Wuhan, China. She graduated from the Performance Department of the Beijing-based Central Academy of Drama in 1991. She made her debut playing a leading role in the 1992 movie “After Separation.” She has since gone on to appear in dozens of hit movies, and in 2016 was one of the voice actors in the Chinese-language version of Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Dory.” More recently, she starred in the 2019 movie “Only Cloud Knows.”

Xu Fan

As the head of the household, Qiao Hai Yun (Song Chun Li) has made it a rule that no matter where they are, or what they’re doing in life, all of her family members must come home for New Year. With three grown daughters, Hai Yun has enforced this rule for years but when her granddaughter Li Yi Jin (Sandra Ma) decides to break from tradition, Hai Yun is forced to take a hard look at her family and the relationships that bind them together.

As the daughter of Meng Ming Wei (Xu Fan), Hai Yun’s eldest, Yi Jin carries more than just the burden that comes with being the eldest daughter. With a mother who was adopted into the family, Yi Jin was raised under tremendous pressure from her mom. With grand ambitions for her daughter, Ming Wei pushed Yi Jin hard, thus straining the relationship between them. Unlike her elder sister, Meng Wang Qing (Liang Jing) has always had a perfect relationship with her daughter Tao Shu Na (Sun Qian), but when the two discover secrets about each other, their perfect relationship is put to the test. Meanwhile, Meng Yi An (Li Xiao Ran), the youngest of Hai Yun’s daughters, has always fought against the strong similarities between them. But no matter how hard she tries to forge her own path, fate always seems to find a way to lead Yi An down a similar path.

Though different in their unique ways, the three generations of Meng women are bound by more than fate. Like a flock of birds, they journey through life together, supporting each other as they navigate the sometimes tumultuous currents of life. Will this bond between them be shaken by the acts of a rebellious young woman or will they find that their family ties are stronger than any of them ever realized?

Adapted from the “She and Her Islands” by Yi Nan, “The Islands” is a 2024 Chinese family drama directed by Lin Yan.

The Islands

😇 Mommy's girls 💞

In Wuhan, China, at the epicenter of what will eventually become the global coronavirus pandemic, a group of ordinary folks is trying to get to grips with a brand new way of life. Lockdowns and hygiene laws are starting to be imposed – dividing some families and bringing others closer together. As the health crisis begins to intensify, four groups of people prove that heroes come in all shapes and sizes – and prove that while suffering is inevitable, the human spirit is indomitable.

A Yong (Huang Bo) is a courier who finds a new calling in his line of work: transporting vital supplies to the city’s beleaguered hospitals. Meanwhile, also in the world of delivery, Wu Ge (Jia Ling) is a food delivery worker who gets to know a piano teacher. There is also a couple in the autumn of their lives – a restaurant owner and former medic – who discover a new depth to their relationship as society begins to close down around them. Small business owners also wonder what will become of their travel agency and supermarket. As case numbers rise, so too does the love – with everyone determined to keep smiling, no matter what!

“Embrace Again” is a 2021 Chinese movie that was directed by Xiao Lu Xue.

Embrace Again

The Everyday Heroes

Alibaba Pictures, Huayi Brothers Pictures

Sui Dong Feng (Huang Xuan), a middle-aged Chinese man who lives in New Zealand, is down in the dumps. His wife Lao Yun (Yang Cai Yu) died recently, leaving him alone, pining for the love of his life.

To honor her memory, Sui Dong Feng decides to take a trip down memory, and retrace their life together – vowing to set eyes on a blue whale that his wife longed to see.

He retraces the path he trod 10 years ago when he first met Lao Yun, when they were housemates at a small shared accommodation.

Together, they opened a small restaurant that was tragically destroyed by fire. Then Lao Yun fell ill.

Sui Dong Feng goes back to see what has become of the restaurant now, and even travels back to China to meet members of his late wife’s family.

His journey leads him down unexpected avenues. And he discovers a world of secrets about Lao Yun – learning that there was a whole different side of the woman he loved. A side that he never knew existed…

“Only Cloud Knows” is a 2019 Chinese movie that was directed by Feng Xiao Gang.

Only Cloud Knows

❤️ Love Memory Team ❤️

In December of 1941, Japanese forces made their way into China, claiming the country’s extensive railway system as their own. Using the lines from Tianjin to Nanjing as a key military transportation route, the trains which ran between the cities were heavily guarded by Japanese soldiers. But even heavily guarded, the trains were frequently attacked by teams of freedom fighters, particularly those led by Ma Yuan (Jackie Chan).

A simple railroad worker swept up by the tides of war, Ma Yuan’s extensive knowledge of the train network instantly made him a valuable asset to the cause. Gathering a group of fellow railway workers to him, Ma Yuan and his men became a symbol of hope to the people, raiding Japanese trains to supply the starving people of China with much-needed food and supplies. Using nothing but their everyday tools to take on the Japanese soldiers, these freedom fighters became affectionately known as the “Railroad Tigers.” Though heroes to the people, the Japanese saw them in a much different light. Determined to stop them from doing more harm, reinforcements were sent to Shandong. But the reinforcements only served to spur the rebels into greater action.&nbsp;

In a grand act of defiance, Ma Yuan leads his men on a mission more dangerous than any they’ve attempted thus far. But when the Japanese learn of their plan, they launch a counterattack that raises the stakes for all to staggering new heights. Will this ragtag team of freedom fighters be able to bring down this well-oiled machine of war or will their greatest heist yet prove to be their undoing?

Starring one of the most popular action stars of all time, “Railroad Tigers” is a 2016 Chinese action comedy film directed by Ding Sheng.

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