Chinese hit 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' makes North American debut

Following its strong box office run in China, Once Upon a Time in the Middle East made its North American debut Friday with a limited theatrical release, bringing audiences a poignant reflection on the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.

Distributed by Well Go USA Entertainment, the Chinese drama film is screening with English subtitles at more than 120 theaters in major North American cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Boston, Toronto and Vancouver.

Directed by Wen Muye and starring Shen Teng and Jiang Qiming, the film follows Xu Fu, a Chinese cook who travels to the Middle East to work in a Chinese restaurant after falling into debt at home. He and restaurant manager Ma Junsheng help build a popular eatery that becomes a gathering place for people of different backgrounds. But when war breaks out, the restaurant becomes the setting for a poignant story of survival, human resilience and the pursuit of peace.

Several moviegoers, who watched the film in the Los Angeles area, told Xinhua that the movie deserves high marks. They noted that the film offers North American audiences an opportunity to view and reflect on conflicts and warfare in the Middle East from a perspective different from that typically presented by Hollywood. Some moviegoers also praised the film's technical craftsmanship and international storytelling.

Alivia, who watched the film at an AMC theater in Monterey Park, said the film has deeply moved her.

"It's really opened people's eyes about what really happened in the Middle East, and it shows how everybody is involved, not just the Americans and (people in) the Middle East. It's everybody. It's brought out all of my emotions to make me feel what they feel," she said.

"I think it should win awards, truly. It's a very amazing movie," Alivia added.

Once Upon a Time in the Middle East has been selected by the Chinese mainland as its official entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.

According to data from Maoyan, a Chinese movie-ticketing and film data platform, the film has grossed more than 2.36 billion yuan ($330 million) at the Chinese mainland box office since its theatrical release on August 11. It has received strong feedback from Chinese audience, earning a rating of 9.7 out of 10 on Maoyan.

(Cover: A filming location of Once Upon a Time in the Middle East in Shizuishan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, October 2, 2026. /VCG)