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No More Bets
No More Bets (Chinese: 孤注一掷; pinyin: Gū Zhù Yī Zhì) is a 2023 Chinese crime thriller film directed by Shen Ao and produced by Ning Hao. The film chronicles a story about Chinese people being trafficked overseas to a Southeast Asian country and forced to commit Internet fraud. It features Lay Zhang, Gina Jin, Yong Mei, and Eric Wang. The film was released in China in both regular theaters and IMAX on August 8, 2023 and achieved box office success, earning a gross of over $500 million.[2] In response to the film, Cambodia banned showings of No More Bets due to its potential allusion to the country and the negative image it portrays, while the film was criticised by the governments of Myanmar and Thailand. PlotProgrammer Pan Sheng and model Liang Anna are lured overseas by a supposed high paying job. However, it turns out that the promised employment is actually a slave-camp-like fraud factory. Imprisoned and abused by their handler, they are forced to commit cyber fraud on online victims. As a result of their actions, a stranger named Gu Tianzhi becomes addicted to online gambling. After losing all his savings, Gu attempts suicide by jumping off a building. Gu's girlfriend calls the police. Police Zhao Dongran starts investigations and eventually cracks down on the tite Cast
Sheren Tang and Lam Wai appear as Tianzhi's mother and father, respectively. ProductionDirector Shen Ao is a newcomer signed by Ning Hao's Dirty Monkey 72 Transformations Film Project. This is his second feature film, following My Dear Liar in 2019. In 2020, a friend told him a suicide case due to cyber fraud and gambling. He decided to turn it into a crime film.[3] Before filming, the director team, with the support of the police and the anti-fraud center, collected overseas online fraud cases in the past three years. The materials including pictures, texts, audio and videos, reached 1TB hardware size. The script writing took one year and a half. Tens of thousands of cases had been analyzed and distilled.[4] In June 2021, the Dirty Monkey studio revealed the film and its cast, featuring Lay Zhang and Gina Jin.[5] ReleaseThe film began test screening on Aug 5, 2023 and scheduled the general release on Aug 11, 2023. It quickly became a box office hit in China.[6] The film then changed its general release date to Aug 8, 2023.[7] ReceptionBox officeBy August 8, 2023, three days since the test screening, its box office gross was $69.3 million. This makes it the highest test screening gross in Chinese film history.[2] On the opening weekend after general release, the film earned $88 million gross, making it the No.1 box office in the world on that weekend.[8] After its first five weeks, it grossed $505 million USD.[9] The Japan Times stated that "Crime action film “No More Bets,” which has topped the Chinese box office since its release in early August, offers an unprecedented peek into the intricate workings of cybercrime in Southeast Asia."[10] ControversiesBan by CambodiaThe Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia announced on 27 September 2023 that it will not allow No More Bets to be screened in theatres over fears the film would damage Cambodia's international reputation.[11] In particular, the Ministry fears that the film would discourage foreign investors and tourists from Cambodia.[12] Although no particular country is mentioned, Khmer text can be seen throughout the film.[13] Pa Chanrouen, President of the Cambodia Institute for Democracy, said to new site Cambodianess that “the movie will make international tourists scared of coming to Cambodia."[14] The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has cooperated with other government agencies to restrict access to the film in Cambodia. The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication in particular was tasked with censoring clips of the film online and stopping its spread through social media. According to the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Song Man, the ministry sent a letter to the Embassy of China in Phnom Penh asking them to cooperate with Cambodian authorities.[15] They also requested Chinese authorities halt showings of the film in China.[16] According to a report by the United Nations released on 29 August 2023, at least 100,000 people may be held in Cambodia where they are forced to operate scams.[17] Criticism by MyanmarThe Military Junta of Myanmar has criticised No More Bets as hurting its reputation, due to the film prominently displaying Burmese language throughout the criminal portions of the film. No More Bets has not been shown in Myanmar cinemas.[18] Myanmar's Consul-General in Nanning, China, U Kyaw Soe Thein, met with the Director of the Foreign Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Lian Yin, on 26 September to discuss the film's role in "hurting" Myanmar's reputation in China.[19] A poll conducted by the Japan Times on Weibo found that 48,000 of the 54,000 polled would shun travelling to Myanmar.[20] Criticism by ThailandPuangpet Chunlaiad, Thailand's Prime Minister Office Minister, raised concerns on 27 November 2023 to Han Zhiqiang, ambassador of China to Thailand. She said that the film risks the confidence of Chinese tourists in visiting Thailand, and that the crimes depicted in the film do not occur in Thailand. In response, Han said he didn't believe it affected the amount of tourists visiting Thailand. Several clips in the film showcase messages written in Thai.[21] Vice-president of the Tourism Council of Thailand Surawat Akaraworamet said in September 2023 that the film soured Chinese feelings toward travelling to mainland Southeast Asia, which has been weak in recent times.[22] See alsoReferences
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