During the day, the man would hide in an abandoned storage room, waiting for the workers to leave. At night, he would come out and enjoy the free snacks and drinks in the office. Over time, he even learned which departments tended to work late, so he could find a quiet place to sleep by arranging a few chairs.

"The story deeply inspired me. It turns out that some stories in real life are even more absurd, unbelievable and ironic than movie scripts," says Dong.

The director also shared several behind-the-scenes stories, including how Bai improvised two famous lines from Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Li Bai to depict his character's frustration, emphasizing that despite his talent, he couldn't get the recognition he deserved.

As Dong's second directorial effort after Gone With the Light, the 2019 sci-fi comedy, Johnny Keep Walking! has also earned acclaim overseas. Aside from its release in eight countries so far, including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany between Jan 18 and Feb 1, it will also show in theaters in Cambodia from Feb 15.

"Most of the feedback is from overseas Chinese," Ying says. "They say they have been yearning to watch stories about their roots, especially after living or working in other countries for many years."

Contact the writer at [email protected]