3. "Home Coming"

Billed as the first film to be told from Chinese diplomats' perspectives, the Rao Xiaozhi-directed "Home Coming" tells of how two unarmed Chinese diplomats that lose contact with the Chinese embassy lead 125 Chinese citizens to embark on an exodus to return to China through chaos, riots, battlefields, and the desert in a fictional country in North Africa. Starring veteran actor Zhang Yi and heartthrob Wang Junkai, the film was inspired by a real evacuation in Libya in 2011, when the Chinese embassy evacuated more than 30,000 Chinese nationals over 12 days. The movie is an eye-opening work that demonstrates how Chinese diplomats working in extreme environments have to overcome various dangers and challenges to protect their overseas compatriots. Though lacking the explosive action scenes found in other blockbusters about rescues and evacuations, it was actor Zhang Yi's multi-layered acting genius, the solid performances of his supporting actors, a tight script, and its tense and tearjerking plot that captured audiences' imaginations.