The film's screenwriter Wang Xingdong, 63, who is also the deputy director of the China Film Association, reveals that some young actors refused to take part in the film after they had read the script, because of its serious political theme. He says he went through many old files, including Chairman Mao's handwritten letter refusing amnesty, to be historically accurate.

"The film industry needs people who care about more than pure entertainment and money," says this cinema veteran known for his historical dramas, including The Founding of a Republic (2009).

"Film is a mirror of society, and the lessons from history are mirrors for today. When we bring such a story to the public, we not only aim to attract an audience, but we want to leave something for our country's juridical history."

Mount Huangshan, a fairyland in winter	Scenery of Daming Lake in Jinan	Hot tiles: how mahjong conquered the West