Film Commemorating 1911 Revolution Premiered

The star-studded film "Xinhai Revolution" was premiered Sunday in northeast China.

The star-studded film "Xinhai Revolution" was premiered Sunday in northeast China's Jilin Province to commemorate the 1911 Revolution.

The movie, which will screen nationwide starting Sept. 23, involves more than 70 Chinese stars to mark the 100th anniversary of the historic event.

In 1911, protests and armed uprisings took place across China against the monarchy of the Qing Dynasty. These events led to the overthrow of the country's last emperor and the founding of the Republic of China on Jan. 1, 1912.

As 1911 was called Xinhai in the Chinese way of numbering years, the revolution is named Xinhai Revolution.

The movie features Hong Kong's kung fu star Jackie Chan as Huang Xing, a key figure who led revolutionary events of 1911.

This is the 100th movie that Jackie Chan has starred. "I have played 99 relatively small roles before starring such a historically important figure," Chan joked.

Actually, Chan previously intended to star another film about Chinese zodiac as his 100th movie, but after reading the script of "Xinhai Revolution," Chan felt that "I will regret if I am not a part of it."

Winston Chao from Taiwan plays Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary forerunner and leader of the revolution. The actor, who made his debut in Ang Lee's "The Wedding Banquet," has appeared as Sun in five movies.

Chinese mainland actress Li Bingbing plays Huang's wife, Xu Zonghan. Li was a lead actress in Wayne Wang's "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," which came out this year.

Wang Xingdong, screenwriter of the movie, said that "I hope this movie can help fuel the patriotism of all the Chinese."

Li Yang, 28, who just graduated from Northeast Normal University and joined the People's Liberation Army, said after watching the film that "Many martyrs died in their twenties during the revolution. Their devotion and sacrifice still inspire us today."

"Through the movie, I hope, young people can understand that we owe our life today to the martyrs who sacrificed so much," Jackie Chan said.

"I agree that one theme of the 1911 revolution is anti-monarchy, but the many interpretations of the 'revolution' may trigger disputes in the academic circle," said Zhu Jing, vice chairman of Jilin Writer's Association."

The movie, produced by the Changchun Film Studio, had an investment of more than 100 million yuan (US$15.7 million).

"Hailed as the 'cradle of films' in New China, our studio is obliged and honored to produce this movie," said Liu Lijuan, chairwoman of Changchun Film Group.

"The movie is still relevant today. Some undertakings that Sun Yat-sen proposed are still unfinished, and there is a long way to rejuvenate China," said Jiang Lei, associate professor with Jilin University.