Chinese film premiere offers Australian audiences different perspective on war, peace

This photo shows the Australian premiere of Chinese movie "Once upon a time in the Middle East" in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 8, 2026. (Photo: Pacific Lantern Distribution/Handout via Xinhua)

MELBOURNE, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese film "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" struck a chord with audiences at its Australian premiere in Melbourne Tuesday night, with viewers praising its message of humanity and peace and its distinctive Chinese perspective on war.

"Really powerful movie. It had a very strong message about humanity, especially about children and our future," Kashif Bouns, director of strategy and operations at the Victorian Multicultural Commission, told Xinhua after the screening.

Bouns said war films seen by Australian audiences often come from Hollywood and present a Western perspective, while the Chinese film offers something different.

Nicky Luo, a councillor with the City of Monash, said the film vividly portrayed the suffering caused by war and made people value peace more deeply.

The protagonist, a Chinese chef who travels to the Middle East simply to make a living and repay his debts, suddenly finds himself caught up in a war that has nothing to do with him. Yet, "because he's a human and he cares about people, he gets involved, and he wants to help out," Bouns said.

Mia, a university student in Melbourne, said the film was "so beautiful and so moving," adding that she and her best friend were "in tears the whole time."

She said one of the film's strongest messages was that whatever side of a war people are on, they ultimately want the same things.

"Everyone wants peace and justice for their family and their culture. And have a good meal," she said.

Liu Dongyuan, deputy consul general of the Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne, said the film portrays the suffering brought by war while also showing the Chinese people's desire for survival, peace and a better future.

China loves peace and aspires to a peaceful, friendly world, she said.

The film is scheduled for release in Australia on Sept. 11.