Chinese film based on Japanese novel set for release in December

Dilireba, a young Chinese actress of Uyghur ethnicity, attends a promotional event in Beijing for her upcoming movie The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, on Sunday, October 29, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, a touching novel by Japanese best-selling author Keigo Higashino, has been made into a Chinese movie starring Dilireba, a young Chinese actress of Uyghur ethnicity.

Dilireba joined a promotional event Sunday afternoon in Beijing.

"I portray a girl who's good at guitar. Actually I can't play guitar in real life, so I studied guitar as part of preparations for my new role. Also, I had my hair cut to suit the character---a short, purple haired girl."

The movie centers on Namiya, who ran a general goods store in 1980, and is beloved by the neighborhood for offering life advice.

The Chinese movie version came after a Japanese film based on the novel was released just last month.

Japanese critics call "The Miracles of the Namiya General Store" the "most tear-inducing" story ever adapted from a Keigo Higashino novel.

Young Actor Wang Junkai attends a promotional event in Beijing for his upcoming movie The Miracles of the Namiya General Store, on Sunday, October 29, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

In this Chinese movie adaptation, Dilireba costars with young actor Wang Junkai and Dong Zijian. It is due for release on December 29th.