Tiantan Award: Three Springs, Two Families, One Story
On the afternoon of April 17, the premiere screening and post-screening talk for All The Good Eyes, a Tiantan Award–nominated entry at the 16th Beijing International Film Festival, was held at Emperor Cinemas. Writer-director Zheng Zhi, lead actors Yu Hewei, Gao Yuanyuan, Han Geng, Zhang Tian'ai, special guest actor Qiao Shan, and cast member Xia Zhiguang attended the event, sharing insights into the film's creation and engaging in close conversation with audiences.
Adapted from Zheng Zhi's novel of the same title, All The Good Eyes follows former prison guard Lian Jiahai and Wang Xiuyi as a long-buried murder case unravels decades of love, resentment, life and loss across two Northeastern Chinese families and three generations.
During the Post-Screening Talk, the creative team reflected on the process of adapting the novel and shaping the film's characters. Zheng Zhi explained that the screenplay makes several adjustments to the original work, with the aim of preserving its emotional intensity while offering audiences richer emotional layers and a distinct cinematic experience.
The cast also shared their individual approaches to character development. Yu Hewei said that portraying Lian Jiahai required him to "completely trust the character and his emotions". Gao Yuanyuan described Wang Xiuyi as "an intensely vivid and highly complex character", adding that her scenes with Yu Hewei continually deepened and enriched her performance, making the character more layered and fully realized. Han Geng noted that, as someone from Northeast China, he felt a strong personal connection to the story and found the role especially grounded in everyday experience. Zhang Tian'ai spoke about the challenges of portraying a blind character for the first time, while also noting that she was deeply moved by the film's emotional core. Xia Zhiguang described Wang Fang's internal conflict as being "like a bird trapped in a cage", torn between the desire for freedom and the pull of family ties. Qiao Shan also shared that the role marked a significant departure from his previous comedic image, offering him an opportunity for creative breakthrough.
During the audience Q&A, discussion centered on topics such as the choices involved in adapting the novel, emotional expression between characters, how actors approach unfamiliar roles, portraying characters across different stages of life, and the development of interpersonal relationships. Drawing on both creative philosophy and practical experience, the creative team further explored the film's treatment of emotional complexity and the nuances of human nature.
All The Good Eyes is scheduled for theatrical release on May 1. Audiences can look forward to experiencing this sweeping story of fate and time on the big screen, and discovering its deeply resonant emotional power.
