Year-ender: Major revolutionary films and TV dramas from 2021

1. The Battle at Lake Changjin

Set during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53), the film centers on a heroic company of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) army, reflecting CPV soldiers' iron will and great spirit to safeguard the then newly founded People's Republic of China.

Resonating with an audience running into the millions and enhancing their pride in China's great achievements, the film became hugely popular, smashing a total of 26 records, mainly in terms of box-office and admission figures.

The 176-minute film, which cost 1.3 billion yuan ($202.7 million), became the most expensive of its kind in China. By Nov 24, its overall box office surpassed 5.69 billion yuan ($891.1 million), replacing Wolf Warrior 2 at the top of China's all-time box office charts.

2. Cliff Walkers

Set in the 1930s in Northeast China's Harbin during the Japanese invasion, the film follows Communist Party special agents as they test their wits against their enemies to complete a secret mission.

The film was the first foray of director Zhang Yimou into the spy genre. It has received seven nominations, including one for best film, at the 34th edition of Golden Rooster, China's top film awards.

Zhang has also been nominated for best director. Yu Hewei and Zhang Yi, two leading actors of the film, will compete for best actor while Liu Haocun, the film's leading actress, is in race for best actress.

3. 1921

As the biggest tribute film to mark the centenary of the Communist Party of China, 1921 was released nationwide on July 1.

The film is narrated over a shorter and more compact course in the title year, when the Communist Party of China held its first National Congress in Shanghai and Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, in the summer of 1921, laying the foundation for its rise.

As an attempt to seek a breakthrough, the patriotic tale creatively blends multiple perspectives such as from Japanese and Europe and espionage elements to retell the historical moments of CPC's first national congress.

4. The Age of Awakening

The 43-episode TV series The Age of Awakening narrates how Chinese intellectuals and young people in the early 1900s, including key CPC founders Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, strove to salvage a nation convulsed with corruption, foreign aggression, and other setbacks, to form a communist party against all odds.

It became an instant hit when it was first aired in February, garnering 9.3 out of 10 points on the popular mainland film-review platform Douban, with nearly 270,000 users saying they had watched the series. The show attracted more than 2.76 million views on YouTube after state broadcaster China Central Television put the entire series online in mid-June.

5. The Pioneer

As the first such biographical film to trace the revolutionary footprints of Li Dazhao, one of the key founders of Communist Party of China, The Pioneer was released in over 710 IMAX theaters on July 1.

Set amid the turbulent period between 1912 and 1927, the film recaptures Li's devotion to introduce, research and disseminate Marxism as a revolutionary pioneer, inspiring a number of young followers, including Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China.

This film focuses on Li Dazhao's memories throughout his life, showing the selfless spirit of struggle in Chinese communists.

6. Faith Makes Great

With up to 6,543 actors, an unprecedented cast scale for a domestic TV program, the anthology series Faith Makes Great received widespread acclaim.

Lasting 20 hours in total, the 40 episodes were produced to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of CPC this year, featuring unsung but inspiring stories of people who have contributed to the founding or development of the CPC.

7. Glory and Dream

Glory and Dream, a 40-episode revolutionary TV series, chronicles the milestone chapters in the history of the Communist Party of China, ranging from the Party's founding to Red Army's Long March (1934-36) and Chinese People's Volunteers entering Democratic People's Republic of Korea to fight in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53).

Featuring more than 400 characters mostly based on historical figures such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, the drama interweaves a lot of incidents, conflicts and meetings that were pivotal to propel CPC's revolutionary victory.

8. Da Lang Tao Sha

The 40-episode TV series Da Lang Tao Sha (Great Waves Sweep Away Sand) set from 1919 to 1945 traces the respective life paths of the 13 delegates who attended the CPC's first National Congress, which was held in Shanghai and Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, from July 23 to 31 in 1921.

The TV series was shot in more than 600 film settings. Besides, some replicas of significant sites in CPC history -- ranging from the "South Lake Red Boat" in Jiaxing to the house caves in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, -- were constructed to guarantee historical authenticity.

9. Shanhe Suiyue

The 100-episode documentary Shanhe Suiyue, which can be translated as "the country and the years", serves as a reminder of the sacrifices and struggles of the Chinese people on the revolutionary path to glory.

According to Xia Meng, director of the documentary, Shanhe Suiyue, with a total length of more than 41 hours, is the largest documentary production on the Chinese revolution.

It selects 100 key scenes, highlight moments and typical characters, narrating 100 vivid stories, which present the key role of the Communist Party of China in leading major changes of the country, and the glorious achievements made by people.

10. The Confidential Missions

The 32-episode TV series Juemi Shiming, focuses how the early years of CPC established its revolutionary hub in the south of Jiangxi province centering Ruijin while it faced the blockade of Kuomintang.

The series takes a unique look at a covert route established by the Communist Party of China in the early 1930s to escort significant figures, including Zhou Enlai.