Entitled "Once Upon a Time in Film," the new film by Pan Yilin is China's first documentary to focus on actors' performances and morals, as well as paying tribute to this generation of China's older actors and actresses for their lifetime achievements.

The film highlights 22 movie stars dating all the way back to the founding of the People's Republic of China, including Yu Lan, Qin Yi, Tian Hua, Yu Yang, Wang Xiaotang, Jin Di, Xie Fang and Zhu Xijuan. Many of them have careers spanning more than half a century and have since retired from the big screen, leaving only their legacy for following generations.

The film is an opportunity to look back at these storied lives and careers, as well as what they have contributed to China's film industry, while the actors themselves have the chance to share their feelings and thoughts about the profession they dedicated so much of themselves to. "It took me five years to make this film out of raw materials of hundreds of hours," said Pan. "It was a great challenge to comb through all the materials and imagery we have collected for the project."

Veteran actress Xie Fang, 85, attended the premiere held in Beijing Oct. 18 and expressed her gratitude to the viewers. "Without the audience, there will be no actors," she stressed.

88-year-old actress Jin Di also attended the event and shared a message with the younger generation of actors: "You have to remain faithful to your characters, to the film and to the screenplay. You are not paying attention to yourself, but dedicating all yourselves to the roles."

Professor Hu Zhifeng, vice president of Beijing Film Academy, said that the film not only pays tribute to classics and legendary actors, but also pays tribute to the profession of acting itself. "After reviewing the classic movie stars and what 'actor' really means, let's applaud the lofty ideals and professionalism of real actors once again. It is quite important for the current era."

Pan also explained his original intention for the film. "One day, I suddenly had an idea, wondering whether I could have these senior predecessor actors appear again on the current big screen. Whether they are in their 80s or even 90s, I want their legacies to live on."

"Once Upon a Time in Film" will be released in China's theaters Oct. 30. 

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