The Chinese comedy-drama film "Gold or Shit," which received three awards at the 14th Beijing International Film Festival in April, was released nationwide on June 8, the first day of China's traditional Dragon Boat Festival holiday.

Cast and crew pose for a photo at the premiere of "Gold or Shit" in Beijing, June 2, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Maxtimes Culture]

The film, directed by emerging filmmaker Long Fei and starring Hu Ge and Gao Yuanyuan, snatched the Tiantan Awards for best feature film, best supporting actress and best screenplay. The director, during his acceptance speech for best feature film, was thrilled for the recognition but noted that the next challenge for the film is to see how well it stands the test of the market. Now, that time has come.

At the premiere held on June 2 in Beijing, director Long discussed his creative inspiration for his first cinematic release, saying, "'Gold or Shit' is not quite a traditional genre film. The inspiration comes from the fragments, trivia and details of our lives. We hope to exploit these details and the depth of the characters to create laughter and craft a comedy that reflects the flow of life."

"Gold or Shit" follows a struggling young man who returns to his hometown, disrupting his family's peaceful life but prompting personal rediscovery and the pursuit of a filmmaking dream. Through a light-hearted comedic style, the motion picture addresses heavy topics such as death and failure, as well as social and work pressures that resonate with contemporary young people.

Long added that each actor in the film broke away from their past roles in other films, delivering unique performances that made the film richer and more exciting.

During the Beijing premiere, the film's lead actor Hu Ge stated that he believes the protagonist chooses to return to his familiar small-town family after seeing harsh reality clearly, taking a breather and starting anew. "This is also an opportunity for him to once again feel the strength his family brings him," he added, expressing his hope that everyone can see another side of him in "Gold or Shit," one that is closer to his true self.

Actress Gao Yuanyuan shared her character's attitude of confronting age anxiety in the film. "At the age of 35 plus, she chooses to leave her job and routine life for a new beginning, which I greatly admire and appreciate because it's never too late to start again, and this is also the inspiration this character gives me."

Screenwriter Huang Jia also shared the philosophy behind the script, stating, "The tone of the film is: 'Even when utterly exhausted, still follow your heart.' One of the themes the movie aims to convey is breaking free from societal constraints to find inner freedom. However, we hope that each audience member can have their own interpretation."

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