Historical movie on '60s famine to begin shooting
Famous Hong Kong filmmaker Yee Tung-shing, known for the award-winning movies “One Night In Mongkok” and “Protégé,” will next month begin shooting on the highly anticipated movie “Fu Bei.”
“Fu Bei,” which literally means “parents’ generation,” is based on a Chinese historical event in the early 1960s.
The drama covers the famine from 1959 to 1961, caused by several natural disasters including droughts, floods and pests.
It was a difficult time for the nation’s parents, particularly those from Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, who couldn’t feed their kids. As a consequence hundreds of children were left at orphanages in Shanghai by desperate parents hoping that they would survive and be better cared for.
It became a heavy burden to Shanghai because there were severe food shortages in the city at that time. Many orphans faced malnutrition; so the local government sought assistance from the central government.
When then Premier Zhou Enlai learned about the problem, he asked Ulanhu, chairman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to get more powdered milk for the orphans. Amazingly, Ulanhu offered to adopt all of the orphaned children.
Subsequently, from 1960 to 1963, around 3,000 orphans were sent to Inner Mongolia and warmly welcomed by the nomadic families who adopted them and taught them how to ride horses and speak Mongolian.
The children received a good education and medical care in their new hometown.
Filmmaker Yee Tung-shing (left) poses with a family in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Yee, adept at telling heart-warming, real-life stories, was invited by the Bona Film Group to helm the film.
“I was deeply moved by the story about 60 years ago,” said director Yee. “It is actually about how Chinese people overcome difficulties with the power of love, selflessness and solidarity.”
Earlier this year, Yee and his crew made preparations for shooting in Inner Mongolia in spite of the freezing cold.
The historical event has also inspired other film and TV productions, such as Peng Jun’s 2019 film “Song of Love” and the TV series “National Children.”
Yu Dong, chairman of Bona Film Group and the film’s producer, says he feels a strong sense of responsibility to tell good stories of those people who struggle under adversity.
“Fu Bei” will be released later in the year as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
Meanwhile, two other highly anticipated movies of Bona Film Group — “The Battle at Lake Changjin” and “Chinese Doctors” — will also be screened.
Earlier this year, Yee and his crew made preparations for shooting in Inner Mongolia in spite of the freezing cold.
