middle child syndrome

His films frequently feature isolated, overlooked characters navigating absurd family dynamics and social hierarchies where middle positions breed psychological alienation.

His nuanced family dramas consistently explore how middle children are caught between parental expectations and sibling rivalries, particularly in films like 'Shoplifters' and 'Our Little Sister'.

Her films examine liminal spaces and characters existing in between states—culturally, socially, and familially—creating a cinematic language that mirrors the invisibility of middle-child experience.