Film critics have highly praised the low-budget comedy "One Night in a Supermarket" which is slated for release on the 24th of July.

At a cost of 2.5 million yuan, the film is predicted to emerge as the first dark horse in three years to repeat the box office feat of the 2006 comedy sensation "Crazy Stone", according to some senior film reviewers.

Young director Yang Qing's screen debut - he is also the screenwriter of the film - focuses on crafting a hilarious story which the audience can easily connect with, rather than relying on a star cast or special effects.

The story begins when a jobless man plots to create chaos in a 24-hour supermarket in revenge for the supermarket owner denying his claim for the prize he won from a lottery ticket he bought there.

It's expected the comedy's total earnings could reach 20 to 30 million yuan, ten times higher than its original budget, film critic Wei Junzi says.

Previously, "One Night in a Supermarket" received two awards at the Shanghai Film Festival in June, with Most Favored Screenplay and Most Favored Actor going to director and screenwriter Yang Qing and lead actor Xu Zheng respectively.

(CRI July 16, 2009)