No Smoking

Taxi driver Ermao buys a lottery ticket on behalf of his boss, Zhang, who runs a bar. Unexpectedly, the ticket wins 5 million yuan. Meanwhile, Ermao's wife, Shanshan—upset after an argument—leaves for a tour job in Kanas and casually slips the ticket into Ermao’s red vest. When the greedy Zhang comes looking for the prize, Ermao can’t find the ticket and assumes Shanshan took it. He sets off with his buddy Dacha on a chaotic journey to track her down. In the end, the missing ticket ends up being rolled into a cigarette by an old shepherd.

Directed by Dong Xinwen, Gang Wu, No Smoking leans on a strong ensemble — Jiaming Li, Xiaoguang Dong, Ye Zhang — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 2014.