Still from a scene of Beginning of the Great Revival. Loaded with super stars, the movie has prime viewing times secured for its opening on Thursday and throughout its run across China. Photo: IC

State-owned companies are busy rallying staff to attend Jian Dang Wei Ye (Beginning of the Great Revival), a massive celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of China that opens nationwide tomorrow.

Twenty companies in the city had bought out 30 showings, doling out free tickets to their employees, Li Lan, marketing director of Shanghai’s Yonghua Cinema City, told the Global Times.

“Beginning of the Great Revival will achieve a record-breaking opening,” Li said. “Our three cinemas have already pre-sold 200,000 yuan ($30,900) of tickets in three hours this morning.”

Yonghua Cinema City’s Xuhui district branch will screen the film 24 times from 10 am to 11:30 pm. Tickets range from 50 to 100 yuan each. The Imax viewing costs 120 yuan. All 36 cinemas in Shanghai have been instructed to reserve prime time showings for this movie.

More than 160 colleagues in his department had been given free tickets to watch the star-studded film, an employee  of Shanghai Media Group who requested anonymity told the Global Times.

“Each employee has been given two tickets and can request more if they want to bring family members,” Wang said. “I was told it is all part of the celebration.”

Boasting an all-star cast, the movie will dominate theaters across China, with screens reserved and companies encouraged to book tickets.

Speaking at its Beijing premiere on Thursday, State Administration of Film, Radio and Television Director Tong Gang set the box office goal at “no less than 1 billion yuan.”

Directed by Han Sanping, 108 Chinese stars tell a story about events between the 1911 revolution and the establishment of the Communist Party of China on July 31, 1921.

“I‘m going to buy a ticket to watch the film,” said Luo Lingling, a Shanghai university student.
“The film is star-studded.”

Chow Yun-fat and Andy Lau both appear in the epic, hoping to repeat the success with Jian Guo Da Ye (The Founding of a Republic) that made 415 million yuan at the box office in 2009.