Heroes coming

Sky Hunter is about the Chinese Air Force. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Following Tsui Hark's The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014), Dante Lam directed Operation Mekong (2016) and Andrew Lau directed The Founding of an Army (2017).

The celebrated Hong Kong filmmakers, who have established an image in the West, have given the Communist heroes a more human side on screen in suspense-filled plots.

Yu Dong, founder and CEO of the Beijing-based Bona Film Group, is one of the pioneers who boosted Hong Kong filmmakers' involvement with typical Chinese mainstream movies.

The Taking of Tiger Mountain, Operation Mekong and The Founding of an Army were all produced by Bona, which will have a new entry titled as Operation Red Sea, based on China's evacuation of civilians from strife-torn Yemen in 2015.

The movie is also directed by Lam, the 52-year-old Hong Kong director known for his fancy of real action sequences.

Lam said in earlier interviews that he would depict Chinese navy men as cool heroes to appeal to youngsters.

Yu says such movies are attractive to audiences for their values, which showcase loyalty, persistence, honesty and the pursuit of freedom and equality.