← Back to films
Not One Less

Not One Less

7,5 /10 (193 Votes)
1999 ZH 106 min

Overview

Set in the People's Republic of China during the 1990s, the film centers on a 13-year-old substitute teacher, Wei Minzhi, in the Chinese countryside. Called in to substitute for a village teacher for one month, Wei is told not to lose any students.

Rent

Buy

Powered by JustWatch via TMDB

Release date

30/10/1999

Votes

193

Popularity

1.5

In her village, she was the teacher. In the city, she discovered how much she had to learn.

Genres

Status

Released

Original title

一个都不能少

Language

ZH

Runtime

106 min

Original Soundtrack

Loading soundtrack videos…

A

Alunauwie

2025-09-12

⭐ 9

The film Not One Less, adapted from Shi Xiansheng’s 1997 story A Sun in the Sky, highlights the real-life struggles of providing education in rural China during the 1990s. With a focus on the nation’s compulsory nine-year education policy, it brings attention to children who are forced to drop out due to poverty and work obligations. This issue remains relevant today, with dropout rates still present in many parts of the world, including Indonesia. Director Zhang Yimou used non-professional actors in their real-life roles, making the film’s emotional depth feel raw and authentic. Wei Minzhi…

Read full review →