Minute by minute (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Minute by minute is a 2026 Hong Kong short film set in Harbor City, where a grandmother’s costly battery-water plan has troubling consequences for her grandson. When the government later makes the water free, she remains bound by the contract, creating a tense story about risk, memory and an unfair bargain.

Minute by minute is a 2026 Hong Kong short film that combines drama, fantasy and thriller elements. The 26-minute story takes place in Harbor City and centers on Lan, a grandmother who makes a costly purchase intended to help her grandson.

Written and directed by circumstances rather than simple good intentions, the film’s premise turns a practical decision into a troubling dilemma. After the battery-water plan damages the boy’s health and memory, a government policy change leaves Lan unable to escape the agreement she made.

Minute by minute movie details

Story without spoilers

Lan buys a costly battery-water plan for her grandson in Harbor City. The water has a devastating effect on his health and memory, changing the stakes of what initially appears to be an attempt to provide care.

The situation becomes even more complicated when the government makes the water available for free immediately afterward. Lan is still trapped in her contract, placing her at the center of a tense conflict shaped by consequences, timing and an agreement she cannot simply leave behind.

What to expect

The supplied premise points to a compact film built around a speculative idea and a sharply defined personal crisis. Its drama comes from Lan’s concern for her grandson, while the fantasy element is connected to the unusual battery-water concept and the thriller classification suggests mounting pressure as the consequences of the contract unfold.

At 26 minutes, Minute by minute is structured as a short-form story rather than an expansive feature. Viewers can expect a focused narrative set in Harbor City, with the central conflict driven by the collision between a harmful outcome, a sudden policy change and an apparently binding financial commitment.

Cast and creative team

Chan Yan is credited as the director of Minute by minute. No writer or cast members are listed in the supplied information.

Release and production context

Minute by minute is a 2026 film from Hong Kong, with Cantonese listed as its spoken language. It has a runtime of 26 minutes and is associated with Hong Kong Design Institute. The listed release date is October 17, 2026, and the film is marked as released in the supplied metadata.

Production companies: Hong Kong Design Institute

Movies Dock view

With its brief runtime and high-concept premise, Minute by minute focuses on one family’s predicament against the backdrop of a sudden government decision. The film’s combination of drama, fantasy and thriller framing places Lan’s contract—and its consequences for her grandson—at the heart of the story.

Film data:
TMDB