Anniversary movie set to make history

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-20 14:07

A stellar cast of China's top filmmakers and actors are making a film to celebrate the upcoming 60th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Founding a Country (a temporary title), starring prestigious directors Chen Kaige and Feng Xiaogang as guest actors, and household names like Andy Lau, Jiang Wen, Ge You, Vivian Wu and Chen Kun, may be the most star-studded film ever made in China.

Han Sanping, chairman of China Film Group Corporation, is behind the camera and behind him is a dream team of assistant directors, including Chen Kaige, Feng Xiaogang, Peter Chan and Huang Jianxin.

The cast and production crew have kept growing since shooting started in Beijing on Feb 2.

Han says he invited them to be involved in what he calls "a gift to mother".

"I told them 'our mother is celebrating her 60th birthday - would you love to join in?' and none of them said no," he says.

Considering the roll call of those involved, the budget for the epic movie is likely to be a modest 30 million yuan ($4.4 million). Assistant director Huang Jianxin says that is because many actors didn't care what they were paid.

Andy Lau has three scenes as a Kuomintang officer; Feng Xiaogang, as Du Yuesheng, one of the three most powerful gangsters in modern China, has one set only, but with many lines; Chen Kaige is legendary general Feng Yuxiang; and A-list actress Fan Bingbing is a journalist ... with just one sentence.

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