Dead To Rights

Synopsis

Set during the Nanjing Massacre, a group of civilians sheltering in a photo studio discover evidence of Japanese war crimes and risk their lives to preserve the truth.

Overview

"Dead To Rights" (Chinese title: 南京照相馆) is a 2025 Chinese historical drama film directed by Shen Ao, with a screenplay by Xu Luyang, Zhang Ke, and Shen Ao. Starring Liu Haoran, Wang Chuanjun, Gao Ye, and Wang Xiao in leading roles, the film was released in mainland China on July 25, 2025. Set against the backdrop of the Nanjing Massacre, it tells the story of civilians sheltering in a photo studio who discover photographic evidence of Japanese war crimes and risk their lives to preserve these records.

Plot

The story draws from authentic photographic evidence of Japanese atrocities during the Nanjing Massacre. A group of ordinary civilians takes refuge in a photo studio amidst the chaos of war. Inside the studio, they accidentally discover incriminating photographs left behind by Japanese soldiers documenting the horrific crimes committed in Nanjing. Faced with life-and-death decisions, these ordinary people choose to risk everything to preserve these precious historical records, ensuring the truth is passed on to future generations.

Cast

Box Office

Cultural Impact

With a Douban rating of 8.6, "Dead To Rights" became the box office champion of the 2025 summer season with 2.89 billion RMB, ranking among the top three highest-grossing films of 2025. Approximately 70% of the film's scenes were shot at Chedun in Shanghai. Following its global reception, the film was released in Malaysia and multiple other countries, becoming one of the most influential Chinese-language films of the year.

References

1. Douban: https://m.douban.com/movie/subject/36809864/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/南京照相馆/65799216
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/南京照相馆
4. Box Office: https://piaofang.maoyan.com/movie/1522657