A new Chinese comedy drama telling the heartwarming tale of how a lovable dog helps a grief-stricken family overcome a tragic loss premiered in Beijing on Monday, with the debut screening of the movie already receiving rave reviews for its emotional storyline.

Titled "So Long for Love," the film is adapted from director Wang Xiaolie's novel "Dad is a Dog," and tells the story of Li Boyu, portrayed by well-known action movie star Wu Jing, who is involved in an accident while on a skiing trip with his daughter that leaves him in a coma.
The daughter, played by Tan Songyun, is then in conflict with her mother, played by Yan Ni, who makes the tough decision to turn off the father's life support. But after the funeral, things change dramatically for the family when an energetic puppy named 'Ke Le' enters their life -- with the young golden retriever mysteriously bearing a resemblance to Wu's character, helping the mother and daughter mend their fractured relationship.
At the premiere ceremony, Tan revealed that she had experienced a real sense of loss in her own life due to her own mother's passing and said it is thanks to the encouragement of her friends that she went on to star in this movie.
"They knew that I was capable of taking on this film. They understood my concerns, my hesitations, and the reason why I ultimately accepted the invitation. And now, I feel that I made it. Not only did I complete my performance in it, but it also healed me," said Tan.
Among those at the premiere was Chinese actress Qi Xi, who choked up after watching the movie. She thanked the production team for creating such a heartwarming story and praised the film for delivering such genuine and powerful emotions.
"I couldn't stop crying. It suddenly come over me [during the film] and I still haven't calmed down yet. This movie is incredibly heartwarming, cathartic, and so pure. The portrayal of the character by Wu Jing is irreplaceable and it's hard to imagine it being performed by anyone else," Qi said.
The movie will officially hit big screens across China on Friday, with tickets for the tearjerker already going on pre-sale.