Audience members at a promotional display for the film
Once Upon a Time in the Middle East in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. [Photo by Peng Chao/chinadaily.com.cn]
Chinese film Once Upon a Time in the Middle East premiered in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, leaving Malaysian audiences surprised by its unexpected focus on war, peace and human compassion rather than the comedy, food or kung fu film they had anticipated.
Several viewers interviewed after the screening described the film as "unexpected" and "beyond expectations", saying its emotional impact went far beyond what they had expected from a movie starring popular Chinese comedian Shen Teng.
Directed by Wen Muye and produced by Ning Hao, the film stars Shen as Xu Fu, an ordinary Chinese chef who travels to the Middle East to support his family and repay his debts. He opens the small Dragon Restaurant in a city caught in turmoil.
