Film Club with a Psychotherapist Screening and discussion: Billionaire in the Slums (dir. Da-Mo Peng, 2024)

Film Club with a Psychotherapist

Screening and discussion: Billionaire in the Slums (dir. Da-Mo Peng, 2024)

This Friday, join us for a screening and in-depth discussion of the 2024 comedy-drama Billionaire in the Slums — a satirical and absurd take on parental control, personal boundaries, and the psychology of narcissistic parenting, directed by Da-Mo Peng and Fei Yan.

The story follows Ma Jie, a boy from an ultra-wealthy family who grows up in squalor and deprivation... by design. His parents build a fake reality of poverty — complete with actors, elaborate sets, fake friends, and a tightly written script — believing that hardship will help him build character and develop his talents.

After the film, we’ll reflect with a psychotherapist on:
how parental control manifests
where the line is between care and manipulation
 how narcissistic parenting affects a child’s development