'Fish Flew Away' explores how women rebuild self-worth amid adversity

The new comedy-drama "Fish Flew Away" premieres in Beijing on Sept. 5. It resonates with viewers through the topic of how women rebuild their self-worth amid adversity, within an interesting, stylish and entertaining story.

Actors Tong Liya, Gao Shuqiao, Song Jia, and director Zhou Quan — all in the front row wearing white logoed T-shirts — pose with the audience at the Beijing premiere of "Fish Flew Away" on Sept. 5, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Maxtimes Culture]

"Fish Flew Away" tells the story of a man who jumps into the sea to commit suicide. The event brings together his current wife and ex-wife, two women of vastly different personalities. The unresolved issue of who inherits the property leads both ladies down a path of rediscovering the man they had married.

The film is directed by Zhou Quan and stars Song Jia and Tong Liya. At the premiere Director Zhou said, "In the film, the two women are connected through a man…Yet amid the real texture of life, they touch upon each other's hidden vulnerabilities. Gradually, they gently let go of the unbearable weight of life, moving from opposing each other to joining hands to confront the absurdity of reality together."

"The dislocation of character relationships in the film is the source of absurd humor," Zhou said. He noted that the two roles of the ex-wife and the current partner in the script were tailor-made for Song Jia and Tong Liya. The film is also a "dual female lead" story, where the two actresses portray a new type of relationship.

"With the absurd and intriguing comedy setup and the light, healing visual style, we have explored more possibilities for storytelling from a female perspective," he added.

He admitted that many things in life can feel heavy, but "being lighter than a feather" is an attitude both the film's leading characters and the film's creators wish to hold.

"We hope that during some heavy moments, we can take things a little lighter and be kinder to ourselves," he said, indicating the film's creative intention to break free from traditional frameworks and using absurd humor to deconstruct the heaviness of reality.

Song Jia also talked about understanding her character, saying the role is one she feels the deepest compassion for. "She hides her pain but always keeps accepting life. 'Women should not feel sorry for themselves' is what she taught me," the actor said, highlighting the resilient nature of women who face life proactively amid hardships.

Tong Liya also shared the challenges of playing an introvert character, saying, "In real life, I'm an extrovert, I'm actually more like Song Jia's character. It was not easy for me to play my character in the film, an introvert, but the character's gentleness taught me to overcome hardness with tenderness."

At the premiere, Song Jia and Tong Liya walked out hand in hand, one after the other, with smiles on their faces. This further highlighted the film's "relaxed and pleasant" atmosphere. Song Jia revealed that during filming, the two often got so immersed in laughter while acting opposite one another, they couldn't pull themselves away. "It was like being in a comedy competition — we were both taking a funny thing really seriously."

At the premiere, the cast and crew shared their thoughts and insights from working on this movie. They analyzed the emotional relationships between women, with many of their peers from across the industry also attending the event to share positive feedback.

A poster for "Fish Flew Away." [Image courtesy of Maxtimes Culture]

Karry Wang, a popular singer and actor, commented that the film blends funny moments with touching ones. It raises many issues worth discussing today, adding, "For me, there are many details in it that are worth savoring carefully." 

Director Rao Xiaozhi made a cameo appearance as a policeman in the film's post-credits scene. When talking on the thoughts behind this he said, "Watching it again on the big screen today, I truly think it exceeds expectations. There was a time when I was really fond of watching Hong Kong gangster films — the kind of bond where men entrust each other with life and death fascinated me deeply. But now, the performances of the two leading actresses in 'Fish Flew Away' carry a similar but poetic quality between women, and they also let me see the power of women."

"Fish Flew Away" is set for a national theatrical release on Sept. 13.