Dead to Rights (film)
| Dead to Rights | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Traditional Chinese | 南京照相館 |
| Simplified Chinese | 南京照相馆 |
| Literal meaning | Nanjing Photo Studio |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Nánjīng zhàoxiàng guǎn |
| Directed by | Shen Ao |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Fu Ruoqing |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Cao Yu |
| Edited by | Zhang Yifan |
| Music by | Peng Fei |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | China Film Group |
Release date |
|
Running time | 137 minutes |
| Country | China |
| Language | Mandarin |
| Box office | US$112.9 million[1] |
Dead to Rights (Chinese: 南京照相馆) is a 2025 Chinese historical drama film directed by Shen Ao.[2] It stars Liu Haoran, Wang Chuanjun, Gao Ye, Wang Xiao, Zhou You, Yang Enyou, and Daichi Harashima. Set during the Nanjing Massacre, the film follows a group of civilians who seek refuge in a photo studio amidst the chaos of war, and bravely risk their lives to expose the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army. The film was released on July 25, 2025.[3]
Synopsis
[edit]The film is based on authentic photographic evidence of Japanese war crimes during the Nanjing Massacre. Set in 1937, it follows a postal worker named Ah Chang who pretends to be a photo lab technician and develops photos for the Japanese army in order to survive. Under the threat from Wang Guanghai, an interpreter for the invading Japanese forces, he is forced to develop photographs for the Japanese military photographer Itō, including staged "friendship photos" coerced from Chinese civilians. Meanwhile, he shelters a group of Chinese civilians and soldiers, turning the photo studio into a temporary refuge. Risking his life, Ah Chang ultimately helps the refugees escape and exposes the evidence of the massacre to the world. At that time, the Japanese Army Ministry classified photographs that "might give the impression of prisoner abuse" as prohibited.[4]
Cast
[edit]- Liu Haoran as Su Liuchang ("Ah Chang")
- Wang Chuanjun as Wang Guanghai
- Gao Ye as Lin Yuxiu
- Wang Xiao as Jin Chengzong
- Zhou You as Song Cunyi
- Yang Enyou as Jin Wanyi
- Daichi Harashima as Hideo Itō
- Wang Zhen'er as Zhao Yifang
Background
[edit]Historical Background
[edit]The photography studio depicted in the film is based on the Huadong Photo Studio, historically located near today's Guyilang area in Nanjing. Luo Jin, an apprentice at the studio, discovered negatives containing images of atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers when developing film sent by Japanese officers in early 1938.[5] Risking his life, Luo developed these negatives and compiled them into an album. Due to hardship, Luo later joined a communications training team affiliated with Wang Jingwei's collaborationist government's guard brigade stationed at Pilu Temple, where he hid the album in a restroom. In 1941, the album was discovered and secretly preserved by Wu Liankai, who was undergoing training at the same temple.[6]
In 1946, after Japan's surrender, Wu Liankai, who by then had changed his name to Wu Xuan, learned that the Nanjing Provisional Senate was gathering evidence for the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal to prosecute war criminals. He submitted the hidden photo album, which became crucial evidence for the conviction of Hisao Tani, one of the principal perpetrators of the Nanjing Massacre. The album is currently preserved at the Second Historical Archives of China.[7]
Production
[edit]In 2023, director Shen Ao, inspired by a discussion with Zhang Ke (screenwriter of the film The Volunteers: To the War) and revisiting Nanjing Film Studio's 1987 production Massacre in Nanjing, decided it was essential to "retell this story in our times". Shen then contacted Nanjing Film Studio, the rights holder of Massacre in Nanjing, and acquired the adaptation rights, initiating extensive research into the historical event of "smuggling photographic evidence out of Nanjing" to form the foundation of the new film.[8][9][10] While his previous film, No More Bets (2023), was still fresh in public memory, Shen immediately assembled his creative team to start production on Dead to Rights.[8]
Release
[edit]Dead to Rights was jointly produced by China Film Group and several other studios. Initially scheduled for release on August 2, 2025, the date was later moved up to July 25, with nationwide previews conducted on July 19–20. By July 20, earnings from previews and advance ticket sales exceeded ¥30 million. After its official release, the film's single-day box office surpassed ¥100 million on July 26.[11] By 8 p.m. on July 28, four days into its official release, the film's total box office had surpassed ¥500 million.[8][10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dead To Rights (南京照相馆) (2025)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
- ^ "南京照相馆". Maoyan. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "觀影說劇／「南京照相館」最新畫面曝光描寫戰爭裡的掙扎". World Journal. July 6, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ ""不许可"审查——严密的新闻控制". Qiushi. May 23, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "三个关键词，读懂《南京照相馆》里更多隐藏故事". 交汇点新闻. July 22, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "【人民的力量】十六：两名青年誓死守护南京大屠杀铁证，电影《南京照相馆》正是他们的故事！". Yangtse Evening Post. July 23, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "他偶然间发现的秘密，让拒不认罪的南京大屠杀主犯俯首认罪". 江苏新闻广播. December 7, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b c "专访《南京照相馆》导演申奥：不必血腥当噱头，吾辈自强是对历史最好的回应". Shangguan News. July 28, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ^ "《南京照相馆》导演申奥:自强不息是对历史最好的回应". Global Times. July 28, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "《南京照相馆》热映 以冷静叙事定格历史真相". 舜网-济南时报. July 29, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
- ^ "《南京照相馆》单日票房过亿！热度口碑一路走高，超 700万人走进影院观影". 江苏新闻. July 27, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
