Dead To Rights, a film on the Nanjing Massacre, has taken China's summer box office by storm, grossing more than 1 billion yuan (about 140 million U.S. dollars) in just eight days.
Directed by Shen Ao, the film depicts the mass murder of Chinese civilians, noncombatants, and surrendered prisoners of war in December 1937 after the invading Japanese army occupied Nanjing, the then Chinese capital, during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945).
It became the first post-Spring Festival release to achieve this box office milestone and has maintained its daily box office dominance in China since its July 25 debut, according to industry trackers Maoyan and Beacon.
The film topped daily box office charts in all provincial-level regions across the Chinese mainland for five consecutive days through Friday. So far, it has attracted over 30 million admissions, reflecting its strong resonance with audiences.
Drawing on verified photographic evidence of Japanese wartime atrocities during the Nanjing Massacre, Dead to Rights tells the story of a group of Chinese civilians who seek refuge in a photography studio during the brutal occupation of Nanjing by Japanese aggressors.
In a desperate bid for survival, they are compelled to assist a Japanese military photographer in developing film, only to discover that the negatives contain damning evidence of atrocities committed by Japanese forces across the city. Determined to expose the truth, they secretly keep the negatives and risk their lives to smuggle them out to the outside world.
Dead To Rights currently holds an 8.6 out of 10 rating on Douban, a key film review site.
According to the latest projections, Dead To Rights is now expected to gross over 4 billion yuan in total revenue, an upward revision from earlier estimates. If achieved, it would become China's second-highest-grossing film of the year so far, trailing only the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2.
Film on Nanjing Massacre grosses 1 billion yuan box office
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
