Korean war epic leads the way as patriotic themes set tone for Chinese movie releases over the National Day holiday

Battle at Lake Changjin, featuring Wolf Warrior star Wu Jing and teen idol Jackson Yee, is tipped to dominate the box office during the week-long holiday

The account of a battle with US forces is one of three films celebrating the Communist Party centenary released this week, the peak season for Chinese cinema

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Image of ÒThe Battle at Lake ChangjinÓ. HANDOUT PHOTO

Published: 7:00am, 2 Oct 2021

Patriotic films will dominate China’s cinema screens during the National Day Holiday, which started on Friday, with three out of the 10 new releases marking the Communist Party’s centenary.

Top on the list is The Battle at Lake Changjin, an epic praising the heroism of Chinese soldiers fighting against the Americans during the Korean war.

The blockbuster, jointly directed by the mainland’s Chen Kaige and Hong Kong’s Hark Tsui and Dante Lam, attracted a record 1.3 billion yuan (US$210 million) in investment, suggesting strong confidence in the genre at a time when nationalism is on the rise and China’s rivalry with the West escalates.

The Battle at Lake Changja is set during the Korean war. Photo: Handout

Yu Dong, chairman of Bona Film Group and one of the film’s producers, said at the premiere last week that the film reflects the fact that Chinese cinema had reached a “new level”.

“The big investment, comparable to those in Hollywood’s first grade movies, showcases our enormous confidence in China’s film market,” Yu said.