A film about the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), starring more than 100 big-name mainland and Hong Kong actors, is to premiere in Beijing next week.

The film, "Jian Guo Da Ye", or "The Founding of a Republic", will screen next week, said the Beijing Evening News.

The major film is a recounting of Chinese history from 1945 to 1949. Mainland actors Tang Guoqiang and Zhang Guoli, and Hong Kongstars Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Andy Lau star in the film. Directors Chen Kaige and John Woo are also among the cast.

"The film is a birthday gift dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Republic", said the film's director Han Sanping. Han is also the chairman of the state-owned China Film Group Corporation which made the film.

"It will strike audiences as a sincere work," he said.

Han said the film would open in Hong Kong about September 20.

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2009)