The large-scale documentary "Children of Heroes" broadcasts shocking people with real power
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Volunteers’ going abroad to fight against the US and aid Korea, the 6-episode large-scale TV documentary "Heroes and Sons", directed by the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee and produced by China Central Radio and Television, was broadcast on the CCTV integrated channel.
As of 7 o'clock on October 24, 2020, the total number of hits of the film on the main station and cross-screen dissemination of various platforms is 933 million times.
Director Yan Dong said: "This documentary is both focused on the present and has an international perspective. It is a hero's hymn and a deep tribute to history."
Focus on heroes
Resisting US aggression and aggression against Korea wielded the military might of the People's Army, wielded the national power of New China, and wielded the backbone and dignity of the Chinese people, shocking the world.
Twenty of the hundred heroic battle flags used in the military parade on the 70th anniversary of the National Day in 2019 came from the North Korean front.
Yan Dong said that each of the 6-episodes documentaries revolves around the keyword "people". The whole film involves more than 80 hero stories and characters, including heroes and heroes of the volunteer army, such as Yang Gensi, Qiu Shaoyun, Sun Zhanyuan, and Huang Jiguang. , Luo Shengjiao, there are also workers, peasants, literary and art workers, doctors, patriotic businessmen, and ordinary people who sew military uniforms for the volunteer army and make fried noodles.
"These heroes and sons and daughters come together to show a multi-angle and panoramic view of the song and tearful history of the Korean War to Resist U.S. Aid and Aid Korea, demonstrate the spirit of volunteer soldiers and soldiers who regard death as home, defend their homes, and demonstrate the patriotic sentiment of the people of the whole country as one heart and unity and the Chinese nation Responsibility to fear violence and maintain peace."
The story of the volunteer hero Chai Yunzhen made Yan Dong cry.
In a battle, Chai Yunzhen was seriously injured and was transferred to the rear hospital. He lost contact with the original army. It was once said that he had died, but the former 15th Army commander Qin Jiwei insisted on finding him.
In 1985, Chai Yunzhen was found.
It turned out that after the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, he was demobilized and returned to his hometown of Sichuan Yuechi to work as a farmer, holding a third-class B disabled soldier certificate.
When asked what the organization needed to do for him, Chai Yun waved his hand half-finger bitten off by the enemy and said: Nothing, everything is fine!
Pursuing the truth of history
One of the most moving parts and highlights of "Heroes" is the interview with hundreds of veterans of the Volunteer Army.
Yan Dong has always paid special attention to originality.
Prior to directing "Da Lu Yi", "Long March" and "Main Battlefield of the East", he also interviewed elders, Red Army veterans and Anti-Japanese War veterans on a large scale.
In this filming, the surviving veterans of the Korean War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea are all 80 or 90 years old or even 100 years old. In addition, the epidemic has not yet fully ended, and the interview is facing many difficulties.
"No matter how difficult it is, we must win it at all costs." Yan Dong said.
In the end, nearly 100 crews of film crews conducted rescue interviews across the country on 8 routes, with a travel distance of about 20,000 kilometers. The interviews totaled 101 volunteer veterans. The total material time was more than 200 hours, of which the oldest was the 102-year-old. Wen Jian, commander of the First Division of the Artillery of the Volunteers.
In the film, when volunteers from the 16th Regiment of the Volunteer Army and Engineers, 91 years old, went into the water to repair the bridge in the defense of the Qingchuan River Bridge, Yu Ze, a 91-year-old soldier from the 16th Regiment of the Volunteer Army, drew from his legs to his chest with a trembling hand: "The temperature was over minus 30 (Celsius). The blood vessels are frozen and black. After you come up, you have to saw off your legs. If you don’t saw it off, it will continue to black and the person will be finished."
Speaking of the battle of Shangganling, the 92-year-old former Volunteer Field correspondent Lu Zhuguo said with a heavy voice: "What was the last grab on Shangganling? It was broken stones, shells, and human bones."
Speaking of volunteer soldiers who died in the snow still holding steel guns, watching the front, maintaining the state when they were charging, the 93-year-old former Volunteer Army’s 20th Army 89th Division Combat Division Secretary Li Shiyu burst into tears: “The people who cleaned the battlefield were very Moved and excited, he said two words: the warrior is with the position, the hero is with the sun and the moon."
"Thanks to these more than 100 veterans. Without them, the film would not have such a texture; without them, it would be impossible for us to say clearly what heroic children are." Yan Dong said.
The film crew also made a micro-documentary "My Story of Resisting the United States and Aid Korea", which is a national memory and national treasure.
Enhance artistic appeal
"(I) shook Chairman Mao's hand, and Chairman Mao said:'Hello, Mother Huang! Thanks to you for educating Huang Jiguang well and educating him to serve the people.' I hurriedly said:'You are well educated by Chairman Mao. Well-trained.' Chairman Mao said:'You were born well and raised well!'” This female voice in Sichuan dialect appeared in the sixth episode of "Heroes", clear and kind, as if it happened yesterday.
This is the original soundtrack of Huang Jiguang's mother Deng Fangzhi.
In April 1953, half a year after Huang Jiguang's heroic death, Deng Fangzhi participated in the National Women's Congress. Chairman Mao Zedong met and shook hands with her three times.
This piece of precious material was discovered by the editing team of the film in the Audiovisual Archives of China Central Radio and Television General Station.
This is another highlight of "Hero Sons and Daughters": the breakthrough discovery and first use of the original audio-visual materials added a unique historical value and a strong artistic appeal to the film.
According to reports, the film collects and organizes image data for approximately 15,000 minutes, and the entire film is used for a total of 149 minutes.
The audio-visual materials disclosed exclusively include: a color image of Mao Anying as a translator and accompanying Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao to meet with the Soviet Culture, Science and Art Delegation in Beijing, discovered from the Russian Photo and Film Archive on October 1, 1949; from the Central Archives The discovered Peng Dehuai made the original audio materials of the "Report on the Work of the Chinese People's Volunteers to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea" at the 24th meeting of the Central Government Committee.
The film also tells the story behind the birth of many literary and artistic works on the theme of Anti-U.S. Aid Korea.
For example, the lyrics of "The Battle Hymn of the Chinese People's Volunteers" originated from the war petitions of the officers and soldiers when the troops were mobilizing for battle; the famous Henan opera artist Chang Xiangyu not only raised funds for the tour, donated planes for the volunteers, but also created the Henan Opera " Hua Mulan".
In addition, the full movie is 312 minutes, sometimes 50 minutes long, three-dimensional special effects shots, and all map special effects are performed in the style of modern satellite remote sensing.
Yan Dong said that the use of many colors and motion shots, including a large number of animations when telling important battles such as Changjin Lake, is to attract more young audiences and allow the next generation to better remember this history.
Provoked a strong response
After the documentary "The Sons and Daughters of Heroes" was broadcast, it caused strong responses and enthusiastic praise from all walks of life.
Hong Hu, son of General Hong Xuezhi and former governor of Jilin Province, said: "This film did not invite experts to comment. It is the case of the parties, which increases the authenticity and is convincing!"
Major General Lu Zhoulai, political commissar of the National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, commented on the film: "The writing of war is clearly organized, the characters are touching, and the spirit of writing is straightforward!"
Weng Haiqin, director of the Copyright Assets Center of Shanghai Culture, Radio, Film and Television Group and the Copyright Collection Department of Shanghai Audiovisual Archives, said that this documentary has two points that impressed him. "First, the excavation and discovery of precious historical materials has become a strong support for the creation of this film; The comprehensive and diverse presentation of various materials makes the historical narrative more appealing."
The 90-year-old Gu Wenzheng used to be the squad leader of the 174th Regiment of the 58th Division of the 20th Army of the Volunteer Army. After watching "The Sons and Daughters of Heroes", he said: "I am very moved and very excited. I seem to be back on the battlefield again and see my comrades in arms. I saw the comrades of the Volunteer Army. Some shots are precious, and I have seen it for the first time."
A large number of netizens left messages: "The veteran of the Volunteer Army in the old age and the passionate youth on the film at the same time reproduced at the same time. What a shock!" "This documentary shows the passion and true feelings of the creators!" "Narrative The timeline is clear, and the story is very well told. Live and deep! Like it!"
During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, 2.9 million Chinese People's Volunteers participated in the war, and more than 190,000 people died. Their heroic spirits have been integrated into the country forever.
Yan Dong said that many fighters were only about 20 years old. "From the film, we can see the young people's protection of their homeland and family, their pursuit of dreams and beliefs. Without their sacrifices, there would be no where we are today. Peace and peace. Only if we dare to sacrifice and fight, the Chinese nation can live forever."