Casting off the past

Since all the lines are spoken in the Wuhan dialect, Kwai spent several months living in the Hubei provincial capital to learn how to speak and act more like a local.

Sneak previews were held for the film in Xiamen, Wuhan and Beijing, and there are plans to expand promotions to more cities, including Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The film has already notched up 7.7 points out of 10 on popular review site Douban. It has garnered praise from many industry insiders.

"The movie portrays a group of people who have been ignored by mainstream society via a well-choreographed story, which is not just driven by the lines but also by the music and the sets," comments veteran director Cao Baoping.