Quitting is a 2001 Chinese drama film directed by Zhang Yang, starring and based on the true life story of Jia Hongsheng. Jia, an actor and former drug addict, battled his addiction to marijuana and heroin for five years from 1992 to 1997. All members of the cast, from Jia and Jia's family members right down to the doctors and patients at a mental institute Jia was admitted to, are real people playing themselves. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 4 September 2001 and clinched the NETPAC Award.
North American DVD cover
Jia Hongsheng was a Chinese actor who became known in the late 1980s and early 1990s for roles in movies like The Case of the Silver Snake (1988), Good Morning, Beijing (1991), A Woman from North Shaanxi (1993) and Weekend Lover (1995). His performances were praised by critics and he developed a rebellious image that made him popular among artistic youth and the "Sixth Generation" of Chinese directors.
Jia Hongsheng