Chinese Mainland Film Panorama 2026: "My Dear Liar"

Director: Shen Ao Screenwriters: Shen Ao, Xu Luyang, Wang Yanqiu Cinematographer: Zhong Rui Cast: Da Peng, Liu Yan, Zhang Zixian Produced by Shanghai Dirty Monkeys Studios Co., Ltd., The City Film Co., Ltd., Tencent Pictures Culture Media Co., Ltd. 2019 | Colour | 112′ In Putonghua and Chongqing dialect with Chinese and English subtitles Best Directorial Debut, The 33rd China Golden Rooster Awards Best Debut Film, Golden Deer Awards, The 15th China Changchun Film Festival Best Leading Actress, Golden Lotus Awards, The 11th Macau International Movie Festival Named from the insurance term “beneficiary”, the film follows a husband who plots to kill his wife for an insurance payout. Blending livestreaming, insurance fraud, and the struggles of the underclass, this dark comedy unfolds. Set against Chongqing’s mountainous landscape and spoken in the local dialect, the film roots its fraud plot in everyday life with a touch of absurdity. Director Shen Ao first made his mark through his graduation short film, The Opposite Shore, which won international awards and showcased his solid audiovisual craftsmanship. His technical skills caught the eye of Ning Hao, producer of Dying to Survive, which ultimately led to the creation of this feature film. Post-screening Talk (In Cantonese) 10. 10. 2026 (Sat) Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive Speaker: Keith Ho Limited Seats available for post-screening talk. Ticket holders of the screening with post-screening talk will be admitted with priority. Remaining seats will be opened on a first-come, first-served basis. Audiences are welcome to queue up at 1/F, Hong Kong Film Archive 15 minutes before the talk begins.