“Nian” is the latest in the series of short movies produced by Apple to show off its iPhones. This time the device—an iPhone 12 Pro Max—is in the hands of Lulu Wang, best known for two highly acclaimed indie features: “Posthumous” and “The Farewell.” The Chinese-American director certainly showcases the qualities of the iPhone, with amazing close-ups, smooth camera movements, and shots taken in low light. But there’s much more here than an advertisement for a cinematic tour de force. “Nian” is a beautifully scripted, brilliantly acted short movie based on a traditional Chinese legend. The biggest takeaway might be that if you’re looking for a terrific story idea, you might want to dust off books of old stories.

Wang also produced a four-minute making-of video.

You can find more information about the filmmaker’s life and career here.

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The editors of MobileMovieMaking have chosen “Nian” as the Mobile Movie of the Week.