Director bets on latest thriller to raise awareness

Mostly drawing inspiration from real-life stories, Shen's movies are often full of suspense as they delve into the exploration of complex human issues. No More Bets continues to demonstrate his signature stylish cinematography.

Starring actor Zhang Yixing as a programmer at an online education company and actress Jin Chen as a model, the movie tells the story of the pair who are enticed to travel abroad by the promise of lucrative work. However, they soon realize that they have fallen into the clutches of a Chinese-controlled overseas gang, becoming enslaved and forced to participate in online gambling fraud.

Threaded with multiple, intricately woven storylines, the film also features actor Darren Wang as a postgraduate student who becomes entangled in the world of online gambling, depicting his downward spiral into debt and despair.

So far, the movie has received a rating of 6.9 out of 10 on Douban, one of China's most popular review aggregators. Many viewers have commented that it serves as a valuable cautionary tale, reminding them not to fall victim to cyberscams.

"When I read the reported cases, what stood out to me was the large number of such incidents that have led to many families being financially devastated and torn apart. Behind each victim, there is a family, which means that more people suffer from these online scams," says Shen.