Round Table

At a Chinese New Year’s dinner, a Shanghainese family gathers around a round table—a symbol of unity that also reveals deep-seated expectations and generational tensions. As dishes are passed, so are quiet competitions, veiled judgments, and obligations that shape each family member’s role. Through three surreal vignettes, Round Table unpacks the unspoken rules of East Asian family life. Polite flattery disguises a silent contest of status. A daughter, pressured about marriage and children, transforms into a roast duck, carved and consumed at the table. The youngest son, beloved yet burdened, is pushed to perform—a lifelong lesson in family honor. Blending AI-generated assets with stop-motion animation, Round Table visualizes the rhythms of tradition: at times warm, at times suffocating. Every glance, every pause, every gesture carries weight, as generations negotiate love, duty, and selfhood beneath the glow of the reunion dinner.

At a Chinese New Year’s dinner, a Shanghainese family gathers at a round table: a space of warmth, tradition, and quiet tension. As the meal unfolds, polite flattery masks competition, a daughter is scrutinized for not settling down, and the youngest son—adored yet burdened—is pushed to perform. Using AI-generated assets and stop-motion animation techniques, Round Table dissects the unspoken expectations that shape East Asian family life. The film unfolds in three chapters, each revealing a deeply ingrained social dynamic at the heart of traditional gatherings. The first chapter captures the subtle rivalry of social status, where relatives exchange exaggerated compliments as a way to measure success. Beneath the surface, it’s not just small talk, but carefully coded performance of wealth, status, and pride. The second chapter follows Jiajia, the only daughter of the family, as she is interrogated about marriage, career, and children. With each question, the pressure mounts, transforming her into a roast pig, carved and consumed at the table. This surreal sequence reflects the relentless expectations placed on East Asian women: to marry, to bear children, and to balance these demands with professional ambition, often at great personal cost. The final chapter focuses on Tuantuan, the youngest and most favored son. While being the "golden child" comes with privileges, it also carries weight. His parents and relatives insist he perform a song for the family, a moment meant to showcase his promise and bring pride to the elders. In East Asian culture, a child's talent is not just their own. It reflects on the family’s reputation, reinforcing a lifelong expectation to succeed, not just for oneself, but as a symbol of family honor. Through meticulous animation and AICG visual direction, Round Table captures the quiet tensions that play out around the dinner table. Every glance, every pause, every movement of chopsticks follows an invisible rhythm—sometimes harmonious, sometimes stifling. The round table itself becomes a stage where love, duty, and generational expectations collide, revealing the delicate balance between tradition and self-identity.