Director: Peng Fei
Cast: Jiang Qiming, Li Xueqin, Dong Baoshi, Jiang Wu, Yang Le
Take Off is a 2026 Chinese drama-comedy film directed by Peng Fei, following an ordinary factory worker from Northeast China whose singular obsession with building and flying a homemade aircraft turns into an unexpectedly moving story about ambition, stubbornness, and the human need to reach beyond one's circumstances.
What is Take Off about?
Set against the industrial heartland of Northeast China, the film centers on a blue-collar laborer who spends his off-hours constructing a flying machine entirely from salvaged parts and sheer willpower. His family and coworkers dismiss the project as folly, and bureaucratic obstacles pile up at every turn. Yet the man presses on, driven by a vision that nobody else around him can fully see. The story unfolds as a quiet tug-of-war between a community skeptical of dreamers and one determined individual who refuses to accept the ground as his permanent address. Equal parts funny and tender, the film earns its emotional payoff through small, carefully observed moments rather than grand gestures.
Cast & crew
The film is helmed by director Peng Fei, known for intimate character studies rooted in Chinese working-class life. The ensemble cast includes Lei Jiayin and Jiang Wu bringing grounded authority to supporting roles, while Jiang Qiming anchors the film as the stubborn, endearing protagonist. Li Xueqin, Dong Baoshi, Yang Le, Jiang Yi, and Dong Zijian round out a lived-in ensemble that keeps the tone human and believable throughout.
Context & significance
For Persian-speaking viewers in the diaspora, Take Off resonates on a frequency that cuts across cultural borders. The story of a working-class outsider clinging to an unlikely dream mirrors experiences familiar to many Iranians who have rebuilt their lives abroad — navigating skepticism, financial pressure, and the quiet persistence required to pursue something others cannot yet imagine. Chinese working-class cinema has developed a global following for precisely this kind of honest, unhurried storytelling, and this film fits comfortably in that tradition. It is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing, making it fully accessible without any language barrier.
Where & how to watch
Take Off is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing — no subtitles needed. Watch on your TV, computer, or phone anywhere in the world, with no VPN required and no geo-blocking. Subscribe once and cancel anytime; no extra download is necessary to start watching immediately.