Leftovers
After taking over his family's Chinatown restaurant, Steven and his pet fish must find a way to survive as a global pandemic sweeps New York City.
Summary
“Leftovers” (2021) follows Steven, a young man who takes over his family’s Chinatown restaurant just as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to transform New York City. With business collapsing and the city entering an atmosphere of fear and isolation, Steven struggles to keep the restaurant operating while confronting the responsibilities that come with his family’s legacy. His pet fish becomes an unlikely companion as the restaurant, once a place of constant activity and connection, grows increasingly quiet. The film is an intimate portrait of survival during a period of widespread uncertainty. Rather than treating the pandemic solely as a historical backdrop, it explores how large-scale crises reshape ordinary routines, family obligations, and a person’s sense of home. Steven’s efforts to preserve the restaurant reflect broader themes of cultural inheritance, loneliness, resilience, and the fragile bonds created through food and community. Quiet and character-driven, “Leftovers” focuses on the emotional weight of carrying on when the world around you feels suspended.
