# Dearest (2014 film)

Dearest is a 2014 Chinese-language drama film directed by Peter Chan on kidnapping in China, based on a true story, starring Zhao Wei, Huang Bo, Tong Dawei, and Hao Lei. It was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.

## Plot

Following years of unrelenting search, Tian Wenjun (Huang Bo) and ex-wife Lu Xiaojuan (Hao Lei) finally locate their abducted son in a remote village. After the boy is violently taken away from the village, the abductor's widow Li Hongqin (Zhao Wei) — the boy's foster mother — also loses her foster daughter to a state-owned orphanage in Shenzhen. Heartbroken, Li goes on a lone but determined journey to get her daughter back.

## Cast

* Zhao Wei as Li Hongqin
* Huang Bo as Tian Wenjun
* Tong Dawei as Gao Xia
* Hao Lei as Lu Xiaojuan
* Zhang Yi as Han Dezhong
* Zhang Guoqiang as Qin Hao
* Zhang Yuqi as Fan Yun
* Zhu Dongxu
* Yi Qing
* Wang Zhifei

## Production

Principal photography for Dearest took place in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengde. It began from January 2014 and concluded on 18 April 2014.
Portraying a rural mother, Zhao Wei spoke the Lower Yangtze Mandarin dialect (the predominant dialect in her hometown of Wuhu) rather than Standard Mandarin in the film.

## Soundtrack

* "Qin'ai de Xiaohai" (亲爱的小孩; "Dear Child") sung by cast members Huang, Tong, Zhao, Zhang Yi and Hao. It was originally sung by Su Rui as the theme song of the 1985 film The Unwritten Law.
* "Mei Yi Ci" (每一次; "Every Time") sung by Huang. It was originally sung by Zhang Hongsheng as an insert song in the 1990 TV series Kewang.
* "Yinxing de Chibang" (隐形的翅膀; "Invisible Wings") sung by Huang and parents of missing children. It was originally sung by Angela Chang in her 2006 album Pandora.

## Accolades

List of awards and nominations :
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 58th London Film Festival | Best Film | Dearest | Nominated |
| 51st Golden Horse Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Nominated |
| 10th Chinese American Film Festival | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 15th Huading Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Nominated |
| 15th Huading Awards | Best Actor | Huang Bo | Nominated |
| 21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Picture | Dearest | Nominated |
| 21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Director | Peter Chan | Nominated |
| 21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Won |
| 21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 34th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Picture | Dearest | Nominated |
| 34th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Director | Peter Chan | Nominated |
| 34th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Nominated |
| 34th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Actor | Huang Bo | Nominated |
| 34th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 4th Chinese Cinephilia Society Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 9th Asian Film Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Nominated |
| 5th China Youth Film Magazine Poll | Top Ten Pictures | Dearest | Nominated |
| 5th China Youth Film Magazine Poll | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Nominated |
| 5th China Youth Film Magazine Poll | Best Actress | Hao Lei | Nominated |
| 5th Douban.com Movie Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 5th Douban.com Movie Awards | Best Actress | Hao Lei | Won |
| 6th China Film Director's Guild Awards | Special Jury Prize | Dearest | Won |
| 22nd Beijing College Student Film Festival | Best Picture | Dearest | Won |
| 22nd Beijing College Student Film Festival | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 22nd Beijing College Student Film Festival | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Nominated |
| 11th Guangzhou Student Film Festival | Most Popular Director | Peter Chan | Won |
| 16th Huading Awards | Best Picture | Dearest | Won |
| 16th Huading Awards | Best Director | Peter Chan | Won |
| 16th Huading Awards | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Nominated |
| 16th Huading Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 16th Huading Awards | Best Actor | Huang Bo | Nominated |
| 15th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best Picture | Dearest | Nominated |
| 15th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Nominated |
| 15th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Won |
| 15th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best Actor | Huang Bo | Nominated |
| 15th Chinese Film Media Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Hao Lei | Nominated |
| 30th Golden Rooster Awards | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Nominated |
| 30th Golden Rooster Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Nominated |
| 30th Golden Rooster Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Zhang Yi | Won |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Director | Peter Chan | Nominated |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Screenplay | Zhang Ji | Nominated |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Actor | Huang Bo | Nominated |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Actress | Zhao Wei | Nominated |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Zhang Yi | Nominated |
| 33rd Hundred Flowers Awards | Best New Performer | Li Yiqian | Nominated |