The Breaking Ice

1h 40m · 2023 · Directed by Anthony Chen · 3.5 / 5 on Letterboxd

The Breaking Ice (2023) runs 1h 40m, directed by Anthony Chen. It is one of 3,647 films in the 100 Minute Movies catalog — every one rated 3.0 or higher by Letterboxd members and short enough to finish in an evening.

In cold wintry Yanji, a city on China's northern border, young urbanite Haofeng, visiting from Shanghai, feels lost and adrift. By chance, he goes on a tour led by Nana, a charming tour guide who instantly fascinates him. She introduces him to Xiao, a personable but frustrated restaurant worker. The three bond quickly over a drunken weekend. Confronting their individual traumas, their frozen desires slowly thaw as they seek to liberate themselves from an icy world.

Genres: Drama

No US streaming listed when we last checked (9 July 2026). Availability changes often.