Hali and Laisheng

哈利与莱生

Told through the eyes of childhood innocence, Harry and Laisheng is a tender story of cross-border friendship between Harry, a mixed-race boy from Australia, and Laisheng, a Chinese boy from Weihai, Shandong.

During his summer visit to his grandmother’s home in China, Harry feels adrift until he meets Laisheng, his next-door neighbour. Together they share simple yet meaningful adventures — admiring Laisheng’s grandfather’s military medals, fishing by the sea, and flying kites in the ocean breeze to honour the past. Their exchange of gifts — a Spider-Man–inspired Peking Opera mask and a painting of Hailv Island — beautifully symbolises the meeting of Chinese and Western cultures.

When Laisheng falls ill with AIDS, Harry refuses to leave his side. He searches online for cures, collects herbs, and stays by his friend through hardship. Despite disapproval from adults and prejudice from peers, the boys’ bond endures — a moving portrait of empathy, courage, and the pure resilience of friendship beyond borders.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Ma Heping is a senior film and television planner, screenwriter, and director. He holds a postgraduate degree and serves as a council member of the China Children and Teenagers Film Association, a member of the China Documentary Working Committee, a master’s supervisor at Liaocheng University, and a distinguished professor at Shandong Management University. He is also part of the Historical and Cultural Compilation Committee of the Jinan Famous Springs Research Association.

His major works include the feature films Bloody Mountain Forest, My Daughter and My Son, Maidou’s Summer, My Fading Childhood, and Harry and Laisheng. His television credits include Manifesto (26 episodes), Born on the Same Day, Same Month, Same Year (34 episodes), The Unbeatable Swordsman (33 episodes), and Ode to Gallantry (30 episodes).