Uncovering a true revolution story through film

Hope, a revolutionary film about Li Dazhao, one of the founders of the Communist Party of China, is set to be released on Thursday through the People Cinemas, a theater chain dedicated to screening mainstream movies.

The film is narrated through two parallel plotlines. The first, set between 1919 and 1927, chronicles the last eight years of Li's life. It details his influence on college students, to whom he taught Marxism and encouraged participation in patriotic activities, leading up to his capture and execution by hanging at the hands of warlord Zhang Zuolin's forces. The second plotline, set in 1951, follows New China's police officers as they launch a 100-day campaign to arrest Wu Yuwen, the former official of Zhang's Beiyang government who carried out Li's execution.

Directed by Chen Jianfei, the story, penned by scriptwriter Zhou Zhentian, features actor Fu Dalong as Li and veteran actor Jiang Wu as the official.

During the film's premiere in Beijing on Sunday, Li Lequn, the granddaughter of Li Dazhao, expressed her appreciation for the crew. She revealed that it took five years to make the film, which required great effort and a large investment.

Director Chen recalled that the inspiration for the film came from a visit to the Beijing Police Museum, where he and the producer stumbled upon an arrest warrant. Issued in 1951, it ordered the apprehension of the criminals responsible for Li Dazhao's execution.

With a strong interest in uncovering more details buried in history, Chen invited scriptwriter Zhou to develop the story, using the interwoven fates of two individuals — Li Dazhao and Wu — to bring innovation to the conventional revolutionary genre.