It's My Time (film)
2026 Chinese-Hong Kong film by Bai Xue
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It's My Time[a] (Chinese: 魔方小姐) is a 2026 sports drama film directed and co-written by Bai Xue, with Wen Muye serving as the executive producer. A Chinese-Hong Kong co-production, it stars Michelle Yeoh and Liu Haoran in the leading roles, alongside Sa Rina, Bai Ke, Han Tongsheng, Qi Xi and Liu Yang. Based on a true story, the film follows a woman in her seventies who, unwilling to settle for a monotonous life in a nursing home, embarks on a new chapter after unexpectedly discovering her talent for solving Rubik's Cubes.[3] The film marks Michelle Yeoh's first Chinese film project since winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2023.
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| It's My Time | |
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| Chinese | 魔方小姐 |
| Literal meaning | Lady Rubik's Cube |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Mófāng xiǎojiě |
| Directed by | Bai Xue |
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Running time | 107 minutes[1] |
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| Box office | US$2.3 million[2] |
It's My Time was released in mainland China by Shanghai Maoyan Pictures on June 30, 2026.
Plot
Zhao Yanhong, a strong-willed and rebellious 70-year-old senior, frequently stirs up trouble and causes amusing incidents at her nursing home. By chance, she meets Wu Youwei, a down-on-his-luck former Rubik's Cube world champion who operates a night market stall, and the two form an unlikely bond. Establishing a mentor-student relationship with the younger Wu, Zhao uses the Rubik's Cube to defy aging and fate. The two compete in Rubik's Cube competitions, leading Zhao to rediscover a sense of purpose later in life.[4]
Cast
![Liu Haoran at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival.](#/media/File:Liu_Haoran_from_"My_Friend_An_Delie"_at_Red_Carpet_of_the_Tokyo_International_Film_Festival_2024_(54577968394).jpg)
- Michelle Yeoh as Zhao Yanhong, a 70-year-old woman who was admitted to a nursing home
- Liu Haoran as Wu Youwei, a former Rubik's Cube World Champion who, by a twist of fate, became Zhao's coach
- Sa Rina as Shuzhen, a longtime friend of Zhao, who lives with her at the nursing home
- Bai Ke as Dong Dawei, Zhao's son
- Han Tongsheng as Laowan, a resident at the nursing home
- Qi Xi as Manting, Dong's wife
- Liu Yang as Boss Hu, head of an MCN company
- Tian Yu as Director Zheng, the director of Zhao's nursing home
- Huang Yao as Zhao Yanhong as a young woman
- Chen Halin as Zhao Yanhong as a teenager
- Jiang Qiming as K Shen, an expert of Rubik's Cube
- Jin Jing as Mother of Wang Tianze
- Wu Hankun as Xiao Cui
- Liang Zhi as a host of a reality show
- Nicole Crewe as a reporter from WCC
Production
Development
It's My Time is based on the real-life story of Zhao Wenying (赵文英), a retired teacher from Jinyun, Lishui, Zhejiang. Zhao began learning to solve Rubik's Cubes in 2014 after being inspired by her granddaughter. In December 2019, she successfully achieved a World Record Certification (WRCAC) by solving a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube blindfolded in 3 minutes and 33 seconds, becoming the fastest individual over the age of 60 to accomplish the feat.[5] Her journey serves as the biographical foundation for the film's protagonist, Zhao Yanhong.[6]
The project marks the second feature film directed by Bai Xue, following her directorial debut The Crossing (2018). Bai co-wrote the screenplay alongside Sun Yan and Xu Yizhou. According to Bai, she had conducted several in-depth interviews with Zhao Wenying,[6] and the lead role of the 70-year-old "rebellious" grandmother was specifically written and tailored for Michelle Yeoh.[7] The film also marks a major return for Yeoh, who served as chief producer and lead actress in her first Chinese-language cinema production since winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).[8][9][10] Noted filmmaker Wen Muye, known for Dying to Survive (2019), served as the film's executive producer.[11]
Casting
The film's core cast was officially revealed on August 7, 2025, alongside the release of its first promotional poster[12]. The leading roles were assigned to Michelle Yeoh and Liu Haoran, representing their first on-screen collaboration.[8] Liu Haoran was cast as Wu Youwei, a former Rubik's Cube world champion who reluctantly becomes Zhao's coach. The supporting cast includes veteran actress Sa Rina as Shuzhen, Zhao's closest companion in the nursing home. A key emotional scene in the film, where the two characters apply nail polish together, was developed as a spontaneous on-set improvisation by the actresses in cooperation with the directing team.[11]
Filming
The film was officially filed and registered under the working title Lady R (魔方奶奶; 'Grandma Rubik's Cube') by Shanghai-based General Dream Studio in April 2023[13] and commenced principal photography in May 2025, with on-site filming taking place in Foshan and Guangzhou.[14][15][16] On August 7, 2025, the film released its first teaser poster and announced that filming had been completed.[12] In April 2026, the film was re-registered as a co-production under its current title by General Dream Studio and Hong Kong's Media Asia Film.[17]
Release
On June 13, 2026, the film's cast and crew made an appearance at the opening ceremony of the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival.[3][18][19] The first round of preview screenings for It's My Time were held from June 19 to 21 in 38 select cities of China,[20] while the second round was expanded to a nationwide scale from June 22 to 28.[21]
It's My Time was originally scheduled to be released in mainland China by Shanghai Maoyan Pictures on July 3, 2026,[22] but the release date was later moved up to June 30.[23] The film will be released by Media Asia Film in Hong Kong within the year.[24] The film is also scheduled for release in international markets, with Media Asia handling sales.[10]
Notes
- Also known as This Is My Time.
