The capital also saw the premiere on Wednesday of the latest Chinese blockbuster "The Founding of a Party." A young cast and crew have presented their interpretation of the pioneers of China's Communist Party.
Young performers around 30 years old are leading the star-studded historical and political blockbuster. And behind the silver screen is another group of youngsters who wrote the screenplay. Veteran director Huang Jianxin expressed "The Founding of A Party" is a film about young people, made for young people.
Director Huang Jianxin said, "The youngsters in the film are ambitious, tolerant and patriotic. Their passion is ignited. Every face is pure like a child's. When they walk on the streets, the scene is touching. And those are the connecting points. "
"The Founding of a Party" traces developments between the 1911 revolution that overthrew imperial rule and the establishment of the Communist Party of China on July 1st, 1921.
The production has gathered an A-list cast consisting of 178 celebrities from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The People's Republic of China's founding father, Mao Zedong, is played by Chinese actor Liu Ye, best known to Western audiences for his roles in the Zhang Yimou imperial drama "Curse of the Golden Flower" and the drama "Dark Matter," which co-starred Meryl Streep.
Actor Liu Ye said, "It was a very complicated time in history. To pursue their ideals even in the face of that kind of adversity? I think THAT was the most challenging thing."
Hong Kong veteran Chow Yun-fat plays warlord Yuan Shikai, who is known for his short-lived attempt to revive the Chinese monarchy after the fall of the Qing Dynasty.
China Film Group is hoping for a repeat of the success it had with "The Founding of a Republic," which marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and collected over 400 million yuan at the box office.
Director Huang Jianxing believes his new epic has something different to offer in terms of its story-telling rather than a historic documentary. "The Founding of a Party" hits cinemas nationwide on June 15th.
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