According to QQ , the film "Mother Comes from Prison" is causing intense controversy in the Chinese entertainment industry. Not only has the lead actress, Zhao Xiaohong, had her social media accounts blocked, but the director is also being criticized for dishonesty. Currently, the film's release date remains postponed, and its distribution license has been revoked. Actresses Yao Chen and Zhou Dongyu are also implicated because of this film.
Once the pride of Chinese cinema
"Mother Comes from Prison" took seven years to complete. The film revolves around the journey of a woman named Liao Hong after her release from prison and her desire to mend her relationship with her family. With its warm and resilient storytelling, the work portrays the arduous yet proud life of the female protagonist.
According to the film's plot, Liao Hong was a member of an art troupe, enjoying a famous and prosperous life admired by everyone. However, she accidentally killed her husband while resisting his abusive behavior. After being released from prison, Liao Hong faced estrangement from her family and the difficult process of reintegrating into society.
The film is based on the life of Zhao Xiaohong. Zhao Xiaohong's rich and emotional performance moved international audiences and received praise from the jury members.
Zhao Xiaohong became an international Best Actress winner thanks to her debut film.
In September 2025, actress Zhao Xiaohong surprised everyone by winning the Best Actress award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival (Spain), a long-standing and prestigious A-list film award, second only to the three major European film awards (Cannes, Venice, and Berlin).
Therefore, from September 2025 until May, the film "Mother from Prison" was still considered a work that brought honor to Chinese cinema. The lead actress, Zhao Xiaohong, from an unknown with no acting experience, unexpectedly became an international Best Actress winner, an achievement that 99% of Chinese actors could never reach.
Facing backlash for "promoting criminals"
As the film "Mother Comes from Prison" was scheduled to be released on May 30th, the story of the female lead, Zhao Xiaohong, the inspiration for the film, began to attract public attention. However, instead of receiving support and sympathy, audiences discovered irregularities and deception in the filming and promotion of the movie.
Specifically, according to the film's plot, the female protagonist suffers prolonged domestic violence, leading to a defensive and rebellious mindset that ultimately results in unintentional murder. However, the official verdict against Zhao Xiaohong does not prove that she was subjected to domestic violence.
The film now deliberately steers the narrative toward "domestic violence," deviating from the truth of the case, showing signs of distorting the facts and misleading the public, turning a serious criminal into an inspirational figure.
The film was criticized for "glorifying the murderer".
Furthermore, according to publicly available information on the website of the China Film Administration, the project was licensed in 2021, but director Qin Xiaoyu had stated that filming had begun in 2018. Initially, Qin Xiaoyu used the pretext of "making a documentary" to obtain permission to visit numerous prisons across China. However, after learning about Zhao Xiaohong's story, the director decided to turn it into a "commercial film." But at that time, Zhao Xiaohong had not yet completed his prison sentence.
Chinese lawyers say the law prohibits prisoners from participating in commercial films. Furthermore, all filming activities in prison are solely for educational and rehabilitative purposes and cannot be used commercially.
The production company behind "Mother Comes from Prison " is facing charges of "deceiving authorities to obtain administrative permits." Furthermore, although filming began in 2018, the registration process with the relevant authorities was only completed in 2021.
The film crew's dishonesty during production led to a boycott of the work by the audience. The social media accounts of the lead actress, Zhao Xiaohong, were banned. The director and producer also deleted promotional posts for the film. Information regarding the film's release license was removed.
Furthermore, actresses Yao Chen and Zhou Dongyu also suffered reputational damage due to the scandal surrounding the film " Mother from Prison ." Specifically, Zhou Dongyu was a member of the jury at the San Sebastián International Film Festival (2025) and actively promoted Zhao Xiaohong's victory. Meanwhile, Yao Chen had previously written an article praising the film and the efforts of the female lead, Zhao Xiaohong, to rebuild her life.
Yao Chen and Zhou Dongyu (right) were also affected by the incident.
However, both were criticized for not thoroughly researching the filmmaking process, contributing to the popularity of a controversial work. Audiences felt that the artists' support for the film was indirectly "whitewashing" the murderer. Subsequently, Yao Chen's side had to issue an apology.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/mot-bo-phim-bi-cam-chieu-post1844655.tpo
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