Dearest (2014 film)


Dearest is a 2014 drama film directed by Peter Chan on kidnapping in China, based on a true story, starring Zhao Wei, Huang Bo, Tong Dawei, and Hao Lei. A Chinese-Hong Kong co-production, it was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

Plot

Following years of unrelenting search, Tian Wenjun and ex-wife Lu Xiaojuan finally locate their abducted son in a remote village. After the boy is violently taken away from the village, the abductor's widow Li Hongqin — the boy's foster mother — also loses her foster daughter to a state-owned orphanage in Shenzhen. Heartbroken, Li goes on a lone but determined journey to get her daughter back.

Cast

Production

Principal photography for Dearest took place in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengde. It began from January 2014 and concluded on 18 April 2014.
Portraying a rural mother, Zhao Wei spoke the Lower Yangtze Mandarin dialect rather than Standard Mandarin in the film.

Soundtrack

Accolades

AwardCategoryNomineeResult
58th London Film FestivalBest FilmDearestNomitated
51st Golden Horse AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiNomitated
10th Chinese American Film FestivalBest ActressZhao WeiWon
15th Huading AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiNomitated
15th Huading AwardsBest ActorHuang BoNomitated
21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society AwardsBest PictureDearestNomitated
21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society AwardsBest DirectorPeter ChanNomitated
21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society AwardsBest ScreenplayZhang JiWon
21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiWon
34th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest PictureDearestNomitated
34th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest DirectorPeter ChanNomitated
34th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest ScreenplayZhang JiNomitated
34th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest ActorHuang BoNomitated
34th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiWon
4th Chinese Cinephilia Society AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiWon
9th Asian Film AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiNomitated
5th China Youth Film Magazine PollTop Ten PicturesDearestNomitated
5th China Youth Film Magazine PollBest ActressZhao WeiNomitated
5th China Youth Film Magazine PollBest ActressHao LeiNomitated
5th Douban.com Movie AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiWon
5th Douban.com Movie AwardsBest ActressHao LeiWon
6th China Film Director's Guild AwardsSpecial Jury PrizeDearestWon
22nd Beijing College Student Film FestivalBest PictureDearestWon
22nd Beijing College Student Film FestivalBest ActressZhao WeiWon
22nd Beijing College Student Film FestivalBest ScreenplayZhang JiNomitated
11th Guangzhou Student Film FestivalMost Popular DirectorPeter ChanWon
16th Huading AwardsBest PictureDearestWon
16th Huading AwardsBest DirectorPeter ChanWon
16th Huading AwardsBest ScreenplayZhang JiNomitated
16th Huading AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiWon
16th Huading AwardsBest ActorHuang BoNomitated
15th Chinese Film Media AwardsBest PictureDearestNomitated
15th Chinese Film Media AwardsBest ScreenplayZhang JiNomitated
15th Chinese Film Media AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiWon
15th Chinese Film Media AwardsBest ActorHuang BoNomitated
15th Chinese Film Media AwardsBest Supporting ActressHao LeiNomitated
30th Golden Rooster AwardsBest ScreenplayZhang JiNomitated
30th Golden Rooster AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiNomitated
30th Golden Rooster AwardsBest Supporting ActorZhang YiWon
33rd Hundred Flowers AwardsBest DirectorPeter ChanNomitated
33rd Hundred Flowers AwardsBest ScreenplayZhang JiNomitated
33rd Hundred Flowers AwardsBest ActorHuang BoNomitated
33rd Hundred Flowers AwardsBest ActressZhao WeiNomitated
33rd Hundred Flowers AwardsBest Supporting ActorZhang YiNomitated
33rd Hundred Flowers AwardsBest New PerformerLi YiqianNomitated