To Be Ordinary
| To Be Ordinary | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Chinese | 有用的人 |
| Literally | Useful person |
| Directed by | Lee Yun-chan |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Lee Ming |
| Edited by | Su Ling Tu |
| Music by | Cicada |
Production company |
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| Distributed by | Mandarin Vision Co. Ltd |
Release dates |
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Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country |
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| Language | Mandarin |
To Be Ordinary (Chinese: 有用的人) is an upcoming Taiwanese coming-of-age drama film co-written and directed by Lee Yun-chan. Starring Weber Yang and Winnie Chang, it follows an urban family, which is destabilised when an unexpected accident breaks their balance.
The film will have its world premiere and compete in the Competition section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 11, 2026 for 'Busan Awards'.[1]
Synopsis
[edit]Yu Jie, a 22-year-old college student and part-time web designer, meets a motorcycle accident while returning home from work. The accident leaves him permanently dependent on a wheelchair. The elderly driver responsible for the accident, overwhelmed by guilt, transfers ownership of his house to Yu Jie's family and provides money for his medical treatment and living expenses. These actions help ease the family's financial difficulties, but, he continues to blame himself for what happened. Yu Jie's father, who has been unemployed for several years, becomes his main caregiver, while his mother devotes herself to looking after her children. The family, which had been struggling both financially and emotionally, gradually begins to reconnect, sharing dinner together every evening in their new home. Yu Jie also develops a close relationship with his caregiver Yi-han, who also quietly develops feelings for him.
However, Yu Jie's younger sister gradually understands the painful reality behind the family's improved circumstances, which came at the cost of her brother's life being permanently changed by the accident.
Cast
[edit]- Weber Yang
- Winnie Chang
- Liang Hsiu-shen
- Junior Hsieh
- Chen Pin Hsuan
Release
[edit]To Be Ordinary will have its World Premiere in the Competition section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 11, 2026 and vie for 'Busan Awards'.[2]
The film will be screened for Japanese Premiere on 30 October 2026 in the World Focus section of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival.[3]
Taiwanese production and sales company Mandarin Vision acquired the International sales rights in September 2026, before the Busan International Film Festival premiere of the film.[4]
Accolades
[edit]The film competed for various Vision Awards at Busan International Film Festival.
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busan International Film Festival | 15 October 2026 | Busan Awards: Best Film | To Be Ordinary | Pending | [5] |
References
[edit]- ↑ Naman Ramachandran (1 September 2026). "Isabelle Huppert, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kore-Eda Hirokazu, Fan Bingbing, Michelle Yeoh on Guest List as Busan Unveils Galas, Asian Cinema Competition". Variety. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ "To Be Ordinary". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ "To Be Ordinary". Tokyo International Film Festival. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ Shackleton, Liz (1 September 2026). "Mandarin Vision Takes On Sales For Lee Yun Chan's Busan Competition Title 'To Be Ordinary'". Deadline. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ David Opie (1 September 2026). "Busan reveals 14-strong Competition including Nanako Hirose, Majid Majidi, Yosep Anggi Noen". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 3 October 2026.