The Birth of New China = Kai Guo Da Dian

Description: This is a detailed retelling of the events leading up to and following the Communists’ triumph in the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), from the perspective of the two leaders of the contending parties. Although there is a distinct agenda in the narrative, the film attempts to display an objective point of view, examining quite closely the human strengths and flaws of the leaders of both sides. While the film takes a distinct moral position, there is a distinct shift in narrative approach from films of the pre-Cultural Revolution period.