# Better Days (2019) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/better-days-2019/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-23

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 81% |
| Critic Score | 88% |
| Audience Score | 85% |
| Metascore | 80/100 |
| Letterboxd | 3.9/5 |
| IMDb | 7.6/10 |
| Director | Derek Tsang |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, Crime |
| Runtime | 135 min |
| Festival premiere | Busan 2019 (A Window on Asian Cinema) |
| Major awards | 4 wins, 1 nominations |

## Quick answer

Better Days (2019) earns a 81% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Devastating and tender — Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee anchor a school-bullying drama that earned global awards attention  Metascore 80/100. Directed by Derek Tsang.

## Critics consensus

Devastating and tender — Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee anchor a school-bullying drama that earned global awards attention while navigating censorship with surprising emotional honesty.

## Synopsis

A bullied high-school girl forms a protective bond with a street-smart teenage fighter as campus violence spirals toward tragedy — Derek Tsang's adaptation became China's Oscar International Feature nominee and a Golden Rooster sweep.

## Cast

Zhou Dongyu, Jackson Yee, Yin Fang, Wu Di

## Accolades

Premiered at Busan 2019, where it won the A Window on Asian Cinema.
- Won Best Actress — Golden Rooster Awards 2020
- Nominated for Best International Feature Film — Academy Awards 2021
- Won Best Feature Film — Golden Horse Awards 2019
- Won Best Leading Actress — Golden Horse Awards 2019
- Won Best Director — Golden Horse Awards 2019

## Where to watch

the United States: not currently streaming

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is Better Days worth watching?**
Better Days holds a 81% Celluloid Score. Devastating and tender — Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee anchor a school-bullying drama that earned global awards attention while navigating censorship with surprising emotional honesty.

**What is Better Days about?**
A bullied high-school girl forms a protective bond with a street-smart teenage fighter as campus violence spirals toward tragedy — Derek Tsang's adaptation became China's Oscar International Feature nominee and a Golden Rooster sweep.

**Who directed Better Days?**
Better Days (2019) was directed by Derek Tsang.

**What is the Celluloid Score of Better Days?**
81% — the average of five public sources: critics 88%, audience 85%, Metascore 80/100, Letterboxd 3.9/5, and IMDb 7.6/10.

**What awards did Better Days win?**
Better Days won Best Actress (Golden Rooster Awards 2020), Best Feature Film (Golden Horse Awards 2019), Best Leading Actress (Golden Horse Awards 2019), Best Director (Golden Horse Awards 2019), with 1 further nomination.

**Where can I watch Better Days?**
Streaming availability varies by region — see the Better Days page for current options.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/better-days-2019.md