“Big Little Things”, interview with director Michelle Zhou

During the Venice Film Festival 2026 we spoke with director Michelle Zhou, talking about her new movie Big Little Things, presented here in the Orizzonti section of the festival. Diving into her personal inspiration, cultural background, and the thematic depth of the film, and exploring silence, protection, and the complexities of family and identity.

The interview

During our interview on FRED Film Radio, Big Little Things director Michelle Zhou explains that the film’s central theme is silence seen as a form of violence. She describes indeed how, in her community, maintaining silence was a way to preserve harmony during conflicts or personal disputes, confirming a cultural tendency that influenced her portrayal of characters who choose silence to shield loved ones from painful truths, especially in the context of a same-sex relationship still sensitive in China.

A significant aspect of Big Little Things is indeed its autobiographical dimension, which Michelle Zhou incorporated by casting her girlfriend’s father, who experienced the real-life conflict that inspired the story. She recounts a poignant moment during filming when him improvised a heartfelt line in a key scene, revealing his genuine emotions and the generational gap between him and the younger characters.
Another crucial aspect of the film Big Little Things is its setting which happens during Lunar New Year: a time traditionally associated with family reunion and celebration, that is here used to explore the performative nature of family dynamics instead. Michelle Zhou indeed describes how the family dinner scenes are depicted as theatrical performances, where characters pretend to uphold harmony while hiding underlying tensions: this portrayal reflects the reality of many families, especially in Chinese culture, where questions about marriage and children are invasive and uncomfortable. By framing these gatherings as staged performances, Big Little Things reveals the pressure to maintain appearances and the personal sacrifices involved in family loyalty.

Plot