Has Apple's New Year homecoming film got the X factor?

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A homecoming-themed short film commissioned by Apple and purportedly shot entirely with an iPhone X has touched people in China as they prepare for family reunions over the New Year holidays.

“Three Minutes,” by Hong Kong director Peter Chan, debuted online on Thursday.

It depicts a train operator who has only three minutes to see her son when the train briefly stops at their home station, as holiday travelers swarm the platform excited at much more substantial reunions.

Chan said his eyes moistened when he was shooting the main scene, although he has never experienced the public transport crush immediately around Chinese New Year.

Peter Chan (R) is the director of "Three Minutes." /Apple Photo

Adapted from a true story, the movie has been much discussed on social media platform Sina Weibo.

“I didn’t dare watch the film. It reminds me of everything at home,” said a Weibo user studying overseas with the screen name @GeronimoYeyecai.

“A great mom, that’s all I want to say,” commented @Lihualuohuashiliao.

“I’d love to watch more advertisements like this,” said @Lao_Jie.

The short film depicts a train operator who has only three minutes to see her son. /Youku Photo

Apple will be hoping the advert can persuade more Chinese travelers to take home the latest iPhone as a gift.

Also on Thursday, the tech giant reported positive revenue growth in Greater China for the second consecutive quarter after a long slump.

Like “Family Photograph,” a short film produced by Apple in 2017, “Three Minutes” was created to showcase how users can take advantage of the camera hardware and powerful software of the newest handsets.

A poster for the film shows the mom's eyes filled with tears. /Apple Photo

Will that strategy work? Depending on the reaction of Weibo users, it is hard to tell.

“Crude films won’t be professional ones after all,” said @Qigelongdongqiang.

Others have been skeptical about whether all the footage included was filmed with an iPhone.

“I don’t think iPhoneX was the only device they used behind the scenes,” said @Mr. Huhu, citing a widely shared post listing all the cameras and other equipment thought to have been used by Peter Chan and his team.