A directorial debut is lining up award nominations while also shining a spotlight on a segment of society often ignored on the big screen.

A dark horse in this year’s international movie scene is "Old Beast", which was shortlisted on Monday for Tokyo's Future Award and nominated for four Golden Horses. 

Tu Men is nominated for Best Lead Actor for his performance as the dreadful Yang. "Old Beast" is also in the running for best new director, best original screenplay, and best cinematography.

"Old Beast" is the gritty tale of a pensioner who gambles the night away while his wife lies ailing at home, sells off a destitute friend’s only possession to shower his mistress with gifts and asks the police to arrest and jail his children for trying to straighten his ways.

The debut feature from Zhou Ziyang offers an engaging portrait of real-life lives in a provincial Chinese city while turning attention to a growing issue - retirement.

"We decided to shoot this film because it was based on a real story. It focuses on revealing the current situation of the aging population in China. There has been a clear transition between the traditional Chinese social concept of supporting parents to the contemporary complex parent-child relationship," the film’s producer, China film legend Wang Xiaoshuai told CGTN Digital. "Both young and middle-age people start to think more and more about the supporting parents' issue."

Most people spend the bulk of their adult years in the workforce so retirement represents freedom and rest just as Yang was on a quest for in "Old Beast". 

This is certainly not the first time a movie on the silver screen has made seniors the main star.  In Hollywood, actor Jeff Bridges took on the role of a former country-music legend who was reduced to playing in a small bar and bowling alley gigs in "Crazy Heart". It earned the veteran actor an Oscar in 2010. While "Amour" tells the story of two retired music teachers who have spent their lives devoted to their careers and to each other. The 2012 film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes as well as Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

But while most countries' retirement plans hover around the 62-65 age range, there are a handful of countries that plan for workers to leave the workforce even earlier. The average age at which employees leave the workforce ranges from 49 in the United Arab Emirates to 67 in Norway. According to Aperion Care, China currently boasts the second lowest age for retirement in the world at 55, for women in civil servants and employees for state enterprises.  

But just last year, China officials announced plans to raise the official retirement age, China News Service reported citing a senior government researcher. It quoted Jin Weigang, head of research in the Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security, as saying a policy change would take about five years to phase in.                  

At present, China’s official retirement age for most men is 60. For women, it is 55 for civil servants and employees for state enterprises, and 50 for others.     

A sixth of China’s population is now over sixty years old, and as the standard of living continues to rise, so does life expectancy. The National Bureau of Statistics said in 2015 China’s elderly lived an average of 76.3 years. By 2030, it’s predicted this will rise to 79 years.   

Even with the rising retirement age, one has to wonder exactly what are all these 'young' retirees in China doing with their free time?

While many retirees in China have taken on the role of caregiver for their grandchildren moving in with loved ones to lend a helping hand, some are starting fresh with new interests.

But many Chinese pensioners now have the funds to travel further, and take up new hobbies they couldn’t afford before. 

Beijing resident Shang Dehua is taking a documentary photography class.   

"I plan to go abroad," Shang told CGTN. "My daughter is in New Zealand. I plan to visit her next year and take pictures of the scenery and people’s life there. It will enrich my life."

 Shang is not long retired from his 30-year career as a driver. He now leads a very active life. After an hour of tai chi exercise, it’s on to ping pong.

"I exercise for good health, and it will alleviate the burden on my daughter," Shang said.