Chinese director Feng Xiaogang, who's riding on a wave of popularity from his billion-yuan-grossing "If You are the One," is preparing for his next film. "The Tangshan Earthquake" is expected to be a tear-jerker, reliving one of the most painful chapters in history.

Director Feng Xiaogang says the Tangshan Earthquake will be the most difficult project of his career. The film far exceeds his previous war flick Assembly and conspiracy drama "Night Banquet" in both scope and scale. The director is currently scouting locations promises to tug at the heart strings of the audience.

Director Feng Xiaogang said, "I've told the story to many friends when we are dining out. Most of them are reduced to tears. We tried up to several dozen people and their response is unanimous. Thus giving me more confidence in the storyline, which I will keep secret for the moment. The film may, in the least sense, seem like a commercial one, but it will surely touch the widest audience. It will goes to the bottom of everyone's heart. It's a topic very much in need now."

The film spans 32 years, requiring each character to be played by three actors. Extensive auditions are underway, and no one has yet to be cast.

An investment of 150 to 200 million yuan is going to ensure the film a faithful reproduction of Tangshan in 1976. The earthquake registering at a 7.6 magnitude in the middle of the night on July 28th, 1976 caused the deaths of over 243-thousand people. The earthquake is the worst natural disaster in human history.

The film is scheduled to shoot in July and will premiere a year later on the anniversary of the tragic event.

(CCTV March 2, 2009)