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Little Big Master (2015) movie poster

Timeline

Little Big Master (2015) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2015 · 112 mins · Cantonese
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Directed by
Adrian Kwan
Starring
Louis Koo, Philippe Joly, Miriam Yeung, Richard Ng Yiu-Hon, Chun Wong, David Yu Tat-Chi

A dedicated headmaster works tirelessly to run a kindergarten for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Yuen Long. Facing numerous obstacles and limited resources, he remains committed to providing a nurturing environment and education for his students. The film is based on a true story and highlights the challenges and rewards of working with vulnerable communities.

Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Little Big Master Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Little Big Master (2015) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Lui quits her high-paying principal job

    Lui Wai-hung, a headmistress of an international kindergarten, grows tired of the rigid education system and resigns from her lucrative post. She tells herself she will travel around the world with her husband Tse Wing-tung, and starts to re-evaluate what she wants from her career. However, the decision marks the start of a transitional chapter in her life as she puts her travel plans on hold when new opportunities arise.

    When
    Pre-story
    Where
    Hong Kong

  2. News reports the kindergarten's possible closure

    A television news report highlights Yuen Tin Kindergarten in Yuen Long facing closure with only five students left. The school’s dire finances are exposed, underscoring how fragile the institution has become. This moment shifts Lui's attention from travel to the possibility of making a difference at the school.

    When
    Early film
    Where
    Home (TV room)

  3. Budget constraints reveal the hardship

    We learn the school can only afford HK$4,500 to hire a headmaster and staff, highlighting the scale of the financial crisis. The tiny budget underscores why the school risks shutting down. The revelation motivates future action from Lui.

    When
    Early film
    Where
    Yuen Tin Kindergarten

  4. Lui applies for the headmistress job

    Moved by the students' plight, Lui submits her application for the headmistress position at Yuen Tin Kindergarten. She envisions guiding the five children toward a transfer to another school and preserving their education. The moment marks her pivot from personal plans back to teaching.

    When
    Early film
    Where
    Yuen Tin Kindergarten

  5. Lui becomes headmistress and meets the families' troubles

    Lui takes on the role of headmistress of Yuen Tin Kindergarten and starts managing everyday operations. She quickly discovers that each of the five students faces a different, heavy family challenge that threatens their schooling. Her resolve to help deepens as she delves into their lives.

    When
    Early tenure
    Where
    Yuen Tin Kindergarten

  6. Ka-ka's family struggles

    Ka-ka's father is crippled from an accident and faces eviction threats from aggressive property developers. Lui assesses how the father's predicament jeopardizes Ka-ka's schooling and looks for ways to stabilize the child's situation. The family conditions become a core focus of her early work.

    When
    Early tenure
    Where
    Ka-ka's home

  7. Mei-chu's guardianship after tragedy

    Mei-chu's parents are killed in a traffic accident during a thunderstorm night, leaving Auntie Han as her only guardian. Lui steps in to support Mei-chu and ensure she can continue her education despite the loss. The tragedy intensifies the stakes for keeping Mei-chu in school.

    When
    Early tenure
    Where
    Mei-chu's home

  8. Siu-suet's residency hurdle

    Siu-suet's mother is not approved for HK residency, and her elderly father Mr. Ho scrapes by selling metal scraps. Lui recognizes how immigration status and poverty complicate the family’s ability to send Siu-suet to school, and considers solutions.

    When
    Early tenure
    Where
    Siu-suet's home

  9. Kitty and Jennie's father's opposition

    Pakistani sisters Kitty and Jennie's father faces a belief that girls should not study and refuses to send them to school when bus costs rise. Lui intervenes to defend their right to learn and to keep the sisters connected to school.

    When
    Early tenure
    Where
    Kitty and Jennie's home

  10. Lui takes action to help students

    Lui volunteers to pick up Kitty and Jennie for school and begins addressing other transport and attendance issues. She takes on administrative duties and janitorial work as well, demonstrating her commitment beyond teaching.

    When
    Mid-early to mid-film
    Where
    Around the home and Yuen Tin Kindergarten

  11. Goal setting and personal resolve

    Lui urges her students and their parents to set goals and keeps her own purpose front and center: to be a teacher who never gives up. This mindset becomes the through-line of her work with the five children.

    When
    Mid-film
    Where
    Yuen Tin Kindergarten

  12. Lui plans to recruit new students

    When it becomes clear that transferring all five students may not be possible, Lui decides to recruit new pupils to keep the school viable and continue making a difference in more children's lives. Her determination remains unwavering.

    When
    Mid to late film
    Where
    Yuen Tin Kindergarten

  13. Lui's health setback

    Amid the demanding workload, Lui suffers a recurrence of an old tumor. The news introduces a personal health challenge that tests her resilience while she fights to sustain the school for her students.

    When
    Late film
    Where
    Hospital

Last updated: October 01, 2025 at 13:07

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Timeline questions answered

Little Big Master Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Little Big Master (2015): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Lui leave her high-paying principal job?

Lui Wai-hung had grown disillusioned with the rigid education system as a headmistress of an international kindergarten. She decided to quit her lucrative position and planned to travel the world with her husband Tse Wing-tung, seeking a break from her career burnout.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, her resignation sets up the personal transition that makes her available to help when she sees the news report.

  • Lui Wai-hung
  • principal job
  • education system
  • resigned
Q2

Why did Lui decide to work at Yuen Tin Kindergarten?

After quitting her job, Lui saw a television news report about Yuen Tin Kindergarten facing closure with only five students left and a tiny HK$4,500 budget. Moved by the children's vulnerability, she applied for the headmistress position hoping to help them transfer to a new school.

  • Yuen Tin Kindergarten
  • five students
  • kindergarten closure
  • applied for job
Q3

How did Lui help Kitty and Jennie stay in school?

Kitty and Jennie's father did not believe in educating girls and refused to let them continue when school bus prices rose. Lui personally picked up the sisters for school every day and convinced their father of the importance of their education.

  • Kitty
  • Jennie
  • father
  • school bus
  • girls education
Q4

What was happening with Ka-ka's family?

Ka-ka's father was crippled from an accident and the family faced eviction threats from aggressive property developers. This financial pressure threatened Ka-ka's ability to continue attending school.

  • Ka-ka
  • father
  • crippled
  • eviction
  • property developers
Q5

What happened to Mei-chu's parents?

Mei-chu's parents were killed in a traffic accident during a thunderstorm night. After their deaths, her aunt became her guardian, and Lui worked to support her and ensure she could continue her education despite the tragedy.

  • Mei-chu
  • parents died
  • traffic accident
  • aunt guardian
Q6

What challenges did Siu-suet's family face?

Siu-suet's mother had not been approved for Hong Kong residency, creating legal complications for the family. Her elderly grandfather Mr. Ho scraped by selling metal scraps to support the family, making school fees a constant struggle.

  • Siu-suet
  • residency
  • Mr Ho
  • metal scraps
  • immigration
Q7

What health issue did Lui face?

During her demanding work at the kindergarten, Lui discovered a recurrence of an old tumor. This personal health challenge tested her resilience while she continued fighting to sustain the school for her students.

  • Lui
  • tumor
  • health
  • recurrence
  • illness
Q8

How did Lui keep the kindergarten running?

Lui went beyond teaching by taking on administrative duties and janitorial work to keep costs low. When it became clear that transferring all five students might not be possible, she decided to recruit new students to ensure the school's survival and help more children.

  • recruit students
  • keep school open
  • administrative duties
  • janitorial work
Q9

What happened to the five original students?

Lui worked tirelessly to help each of the five children overcome their individual family challenges so they could continue their education. Her approach combined practical support with encouraging both children and parents to set concrete goals for their futures.

  • five students
  • transfer
  • education
  • goals
  • outcomes

Movie threads

More Movies Like Little Big Master, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Little Big Master tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Heartfelt teacher movies like Little Big Master

Dedicated educators overcoming challenges to transform the lives of their students. If you liked the inspiring true story of Little Big Master, discover more movies about dedicated educators making a difference. These similar dramas focus on teaching, perseverance, and the power of community support to overcome adversity.

  • uplifting
  • heartfelt
  • compassionate
  • inspiring
  • resilient
  • community spirit
  • Tone: hopeful, heartfelt
  • Pacing: steady, character driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a passionate teacher or principal who takes on a challenging role, often in a disadvantaged community. They face systemic hurdles and personal struggles but remain steadfast, gradually earning the trust of their students and community, leading to tangible, hopeful progress.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their central focus on the transformative power of a dedicated educator. They share a hopeful, heartfelt tone, a steady pacing that mirrors the methodical work of teaching, and a strong emotional core rooted in compassion and social good.

My Teacher movie poster

My Teacher

2022
My Teacher, Mr. Kim movie poster

My Teacher, Mr. Kim

2003
Lessons of a Dream movie poster

Lessons of a Dream

2011
Small Voices movie poster

Small Voices

2003
Little Big Master movie poster

Little Big Master

2015
High School movie poster

High School

2012
Music of the Heart movie poster

Music of the Heart

1999
Hichki movie poster

Hichki

2018

Movies about community resilience like Little Big Master

Stories where a community bands together to support its most vulnerable members. For viewers who enjoyed the community spirit in Little Big Master, this collection highlights other movies where people unite to overcome challenges. These uplifting dramas explore themes of social support, perseverance, and the strength found in togetherness.

  • community spirit
  • resilient
  • touches of melancholy
  • heartfelt
  • compassionate
  • uplifting
  • Tone: hopeful, reflective
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern often begins with a central problem affecting a group, such as a school, neighborhood, or town. The story then follows how various characters, often an outsider or a dedicated leader, help rally the community. Conflicts arise from limited resources or external pressures, but are overcome through cooperation and shared purpose, leading to a rewarding conclusion.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their focus on community as a character itself. They balance melancholic touches of real-world problems with a fundamentally hopeful outlook, demonstrating that support systems can overcome individual adversity. The pacing is typically steady, focusing on building connections.

All Together Now movie poster

All Together Now

2020
Hope movie poster

Hope

2013
The Kindness of Strangers movie poster

The Kindness of Strangers

2019
Ordinary Angels movie poster

Ordinary Angels

2024
We Can Do That movie poster

We Can Do That

2008
Dolphin Island movie poster

Dolphin Island

2021
Driftwood movie poster

Driftwood

1947
Courageous movie poster

Courageous

2011

Every angle

Little Big Master (2015) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Little Big Master in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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