American Dreams in China


American Dreams in China is a 2013 Chinese comedy-drama film co-produced and directed by Peter Chan and starring Huang Xiaoming, Deng Chao, and Tong Dawei. It was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. It is based on the story of New Oriental.

Plot

Three young Chinese men from poor backgrounds achieve success by establishing a reputable English teaching school. The film begins in 1985, during China's national study-abroad craze, a time when undergraduates became infatuated with America and believed that studying abroad was their only hope for a prosperous future.
Cheng Dongqing, Wang Yang, and Meng Xiaojun are three friends studying at Beijing's prestigious Yenching Academy. and simultaneously prepping for American visa interviews. Wang is the first to be granted one but forfeits it to stay with his Western girlfriend, while Cheng is repeatedly denied one. Only Meng actually gets a study visa, and as he's leaving, he tells his friends he has no intention of returning to China.

Cast