Touching souls through cinema — Chinese film “My World Without Me” receives an enthusiastic reception at Cannes

79th Cannes Film Festival • Spotlight on Chinese Cinema • China Pavilion

CANNES, France, May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On May 14 (local time), the Chinese film My world without medirected by Tian Hairong, was screened at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Selected in the international promotional screening unit of the 79th Cannes Film Festival, the film received warm ovations and strong praise from audiences around the world, as well as valuable feedback and suggestions.

Following the screening, the film’s creative team joined a thematic round table at the China Pavilion entitled “The Power of Images and the Care of the Soul”, engaging in a sincere dialogue with filmmakers and spectators from around the world on the themes of life and adversity — touching deeply the sensitive hearts of people from all cultural backgrounds. The panel was hosted by the China Film Foundation and the China Film Association, and organized by the China Film Foundation – Wutianming Film Fund.

About the film and its creative team

My world without me is directed and starring Tian Hairong, with Zhang Hanyu serving as executive producer for the first time. The film was crafted with exceptional care and dedication over nearly seven years. It focuses on the contemporary community of people suffering from hidden depression, transmitting love and hope through the silences of everyday life and the soft light of ordinary moments. Facing suffering head-on, the film exemplifies the restrained aesthetic and humanistic warmth characteristic of Chinese realist cinema, offering an Eastern perspective on mental health narratives.

Tian Hairong graduated from the Acting Department of Shanghai Theater Academy and is a renowned actress and producer in mainland China. She received the Golden Deer Award for Best Actress at the Changchun International Film Festival for Romantic Girlthe Best Actress Award at the Nordic International Film Festival for The soul of a generation: Tang Qunyingas well as the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 12th Macau International Film Festival. Tian expressed his hope that through international platforms such as Cannes, the world can feel the warmth and depth of Chinese cinema.

International recognition

French director Frédéric Oberlin praised the film for its very oriental mastery of emotion, allowing silent feelings to be conveyed directly to the heart of the viewer. Sinologist Luisa Prudentino, for her part, underlined, after viewing the film, that its emotional core sincere transcends cultural barriers, protects the dignity of life and constitutes a thread of warmth and empathy connecting different civilizations.