# Dying to Survive (2018) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/dying-to-survive-2018/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 86% |
| Editorial Rating | 95/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 92% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 86/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4.1/5 |
| IMDb | 8/10 |
| Director | Wen Muye |
| Genres | Drama, Comedy |
| Runtime | 117 min |
| Festival premiere | Shanghai 2018 (Chinese Film Panorama) |
| Major awards | 3 wins, 0 nominations |

## Quick answer

Dying to Survive (2018) earns a 86% Celluloid Score — Recommended. A rare Chinese crowd-pleaser with teeth — Xu Zheng balances slapstick and moral outrage in a healthcare satire that move Metascore 86/100. Directed by Wen Muye.

## Celluloid verdict

A rare Chinese crowd-pleaser with teeth — Xu Zheng balances slapstick and moral outrage in a healthcare satire that moved policy and swept Golden Rooster recognition.

## Synopsis

A smuggling operation for cheap leukemia medication turns a seedy shopkeeper into an unlikely folk hero — Wen Muye's dark comedy-drama sparked national drug-pricing reform debates and became one of the highest-grossing non-blockbuster films in Chinese history.

## Cast

Xu Zheng, Wang Chuanjun, Tan Zhuo, Zhang Yu

## Accolades

Premiered at Shanghai 2018, where it won the Chinese Film Panorama.
- Won Best Actor — Golden Rooster Awards 2019
- Won Best New Director — Golden Rooster Awards 2019
- Won Best Original Screenplay — Golden Rooster Awards 2019

## Where to watch

Global: Prime Video, Viki
the United States: Prime Video, Viki
South Korea: TVING
Japan: Prime Video, U-NEXT

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is Dying to Survive worth watching?**
Dying to Survive holds a 86% Celluloid Score. A rare Chinese crowd-pleaser with teeth — Xu Zheng balances slapstick and moral outrage in a healthcare satire that moved policy and swept Golden Rooster recognition.

**What is Dying to Survive about?**
A smuggling operation for cheap leukemia medication turns a seedy shopkeeper into an unlikely folk hero — Wen Muye's dark comedy-drama sparked national drug-pricing reform debates and became one of the highest-grossing non-blockbuster films in Chinese history.

**Who directed Dying to Survive?**
Dying to Survive (2018) was directed by Wen Muye.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Dying to Survive?**
86% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (95/100), Metascore (86/100), Letterboxd (4.1/5), and IMDb (8/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**What awards did Dying to Survive win?**
Dying to Survive won Best Actor (Golden Rooster Awards 2019), Best New Director (Golden Rooster Awards 2019), Best Original Screenplay (Golden Rooster Awards 2019).

**Where can I watch Dying to Survive?**
Dying to Survive is streaming on Prime Video, Viki; on Prime Video, Viki in the United States; on TVING in South Korea; on Prime Video, U-NEXT in Japan. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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