ACTRESS Zhang Ziyi, actor-director Wu Jing, comedian Shen Teng, and actor-director Xu Zheng come together to direct four short films as part of a new anthology drama paying tribute to China’s families.

Titled “Me and My Father’s Generation,” the upcoming China Film Co., Ltd. production is set for release Oct. 1, the film’s official Weibo account has announced.

The project focuses on normal Chinese families in four different eras, as well as their collective memories. According to the production company, the project looks to shed light on family relationships and how parental love can enlighten children.

The new film will be included as the final installment of “National Day Celebration” trilogy. Though the films are not connected in terms of their storylines, their themes echo the idea of creating a national tribute through the perspectives of normal people.

“It’s very challenging for me during the creative process, but with sincere and strong emotions, we will show our respect for the selfless dedication of our elder generations,” said Zhang, whose short film in the patriotic omnibus will be her directorial debut. Shen is also making his directorial debut for the project. While Wu and Xu have acted in and directed numerous films, Xu is the only director to have participated in both previous “National Day Celebration” installments. The four actors will also star in the project.

The previous two anthology blockbusters, “My People, My Country,” directed by seven prominent directors headed by Chen Kaige, and “My People, My Homeland,” directed by seven popular directors headed by Ning Hao, grossed 3.17 billion yuan (US$494 million) and 2.83 billion yuan, respectively, following their releases in 2019 and 2020. “My People, My Country” celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with seven short stories, while “My People, My Homeland” tells five stories about China’s poverty alleviation successes with a fresh take.(SD-Agencies)