The Wasted Times

Original Title: 罗曼蒂克消亡史
Directed by: Cheng Er
Written by: Cheng Er
Cinematography: Du Jie
Music by: Shigeru Umebayahi
Country: China, Hong Kong
Genres: Drama, Mystery
Duration: 125 min
Release Date: 16 December 2016 (China, USA)
Filming Dates: 22 October 2014 – 9 February 2015
Filming Locations: China (Beijing, Tianjin, Sanya)

Synopsis:
Love, hatred, and betrayal abound in Shanghai during the chaotic, war-torn 1930’s. Mr. Lu is ambushed during an important meeting with the Japanese army, but his sister’s husband, Watabe sacrifices himself to save Mr. Lu. Worse still, the Japanese brutally murder Mr. Lu’s children and sister. To avenge their deaths, Mr. Lu’s mistress attempts to kill the culprit but ends up dead. Years later as the Sino-Japanese war comes to a close, Mr. Lu visits the abandoned wife of his former boss, Mrs. Wang. She reveals that Watabe is still alive and did not sacrifice himself to save Mr. Lu, but is actually a Japanese spy responsible for the deaths of his family members and captured her as a slave in his basement. Given this new revelation, Mr. Lu takes Mrs. Wang to the war camp where Watabe is held to finally make him pay for his sins.

Cast

Ge You
Mister Lu

Zhang Ziyi
Xiao Liu

Tadanobu Asano
Watabe

Gillian Chung
Xiao Wu

Du Chun
Killer
Photos

Production stills

Captures

More pictures

Videos

Trailers

2:04 min   |   1630 views
2:24 min   |   1610 views
1:12 min   |   1722 views
1:01 min   |   1739 views
1:02 min   |   1777 views
2:04 min   |   1712 views

Bonus

3:35 min   |   1765 views
3:36 min   |   1720 views

Articles
Jan 13, 2015
Xi'an Evening News
Actress Zhang Ziyi No Longer Appear in Action Films
Bonus

• Ziyi might have learned to speak some Shanghainese for the film. She was nevertheless dubbed when her lines were in that dialect.
• The film was scheduled to premiere at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival, being part of Special Presentations. Not long before the start of the festival, the film was removed from the festival’s schedule for unknown reasons.

Awards and Nominations

9th Macau Movie Festival
Best Actress (2017)

14th Changchun Film Festival
Best Actress (2018)

Nominations: 8th China Film Director’s Guild Awards, 17th China Film Media Awards, 2017 Weibo Movie Awards, 14th Changchun Film Festival

Ceremony Category Recipient Result
2017 Asian Film Awards Best Cinematography Du Jie Nominated
Best Costume Design Kenneth Yee Nominated
2017 China Film Director’s Guild Awards Best Film Nominated
Best Director Cheng Er Won
Best Screenplay Cheng Er Nominated
Best Actor Ge You Nominated
Best Actress Zhang Ziyi Nominated
Best Actress Yuan Quan Nominated
2017 Beijing Student Film Festival Best Film Won
Best Director Cheng Er Nominated
Best Screenplay Cheng Er Nominated
2017 Golden Rooster Awards Best Director Cheng Er Nominated
Best Cinematography Du Jie Nominated
Best Sound Zhu Yanfeng Nominated
Best Art Direction Han Zhong Won
2017 China Media Film Awards Best Film Nominated
Best Director Cheng Er Nominated
Best Actor Ge You Nominated
Best Actress Zhang Ziyi Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Tadanobu Asano Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Gillian Chung Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Yan Ni Won
2017 Macau International Movie Festival Best Director Cheng Er Nominated
Best Actor Ge You Won
Best Actress Zhang Ziyi Won
Best Supporting Actor Du Chun Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Yan Ni Nominated
Best Newcomer Lü Xing Won
2017 Film Gala Recommended Film Won
Recommended Sup. Actress Yan Ni Won
2017 Shanghai Film Critics Awards Film of Merit Won
2017 To Ten Chinese Film Festival Top Ten Films Cheng Er Won
2018 Changchun Film Festival Best Actress Zhang Ziyi Won
Best Cinematography Zhang Ziyi Nominated