A Fish Out of Water (Sang An De Yu)
by Mary Nyiri

Lai Kuo-An, Taiwan

Yi-an goes to kindergarten where he likes to draw. He draws pictures of his family depicting himself with his mother, father and sister. Except that he doesn’t have a sister. And he wants to see his “other” mother. Yi-an’s parents are dismayed and worried that their son might have mental problems. They take him to a doctor where he tells of his previous life. His parents are frightened by the intensity of his beliefs and they leave. His mother, Ja-Yi is trying to sell apartments. His father, Hao-Teng makes the family buns which he sells from a small shop. Hao-Teng’s father is ill and requires a lot of attention. Their jobs, caring for Hao-Teng’s father and Yi-an’s obsession with his “other” family results in Ja-Yi moving out with Yi-an. After some stressful events, Ja-Yi and Hao-Teng decide to take Yi-an on a search for his “other” family. What they find brings them some peace. A very well-acted film that gives some insight into the lives of a hard working young couple and their struggle with what is real and perhaps what is not.