Star attraction

Many worry that too many famous faces may distract from the story, but Huang disagrees.

"If the stars can attract viewers, especially the young people, to cinemas, it is a victory itself," he says.

"It is like reading a book. At first, you may be attracted by the book's design but once you've finished reading, you learn something."

Moreover, he is confident of the power of the epic tale, which includes many little-known historical accounts.

For example, the Nationalists plant an undercover agent in Yan'an, Shaanxi province among Mao Zedong's entourage and bomb Mao's house with his information.

Mao takes some sleeping pills the previous night, so when soldiers come to save him he is still in a sleep.

They have to put him on a stretcher, on which the awakened Mao is shouting: "I am not leaving! I am a lucky guy! He cannot bomb me!"

Huang says as China becomes more and more open, many more confidential stories can now be told.

To make a "real film instead of a propaganda flick", Huang also tries to present genuine characters with a rich personality.

"The war will only be a background, while the characters' feeling in certain historic moments is my focus," he says.