New hit film takes realism to a new level

A dramatic comedy about a Chinese chef navigating conflict in the Middle East grossed 1.3 billion yuan ($193 million) as of midday on Friday, according to Maoyan, a major Chinese ticketing platform.

The film — Once Upon a Time in the Middle East — shows what may look like authentic streets and ancient cities overseas, but in truth, nobody left China. The scenes were created in a vast film production studio in Qingdao, Shandong province.

Director Wen Muye said during a recent promotional roadshow that about 95 percent of the film was shot in China, with 70 percent of its scenes built and filmed at China Movie Metropolis in Qingdao's West Coast New Area.

Set in the Middle East in the early 21st century, the film seeks to capture both a sense of history and the distinctive atmosphere of the region. Particular attention was paid to creating the Chinese restaurant.

Executives at China Movie Metropolis said the production team worked closely with studio management before filming began, repeatedly fine-tuning details ranging from restaurant interiors and street layouts to the scale of buildings, explosions and camera movements. After six months of work, the major sets were built at full scale inside the studio.

To recreate the bustling commercial atmosphere of the downtown area more than 20 years ago, where the restaurant is located, the film's art department built a complete street block with full-scale buildings, production designer Li Miao was quoted as saying in a report from Xinhua News Agency.

Every shop along the entire street, large and small, was designed to reflect the period, with Middle Eastern goods characteristic of the era neatly displayed inside. Each storefront also featured its own distinctive details and decoration, Li said.