An operatic film titled Eight Sons, Eight Soldiers, which draws inspiration from a soul-stirring tale set against the backdrop of China's revolutionary period in the 1930s, is set for nationwide release on April 3.

The narrative of the film zeroes in on the era of the fifth anti-encirclement campaign. It chronicles the extraordinary and tragic fate of Grandma Yang’s family, where all her eight sons joined the army, and ultimately laid down their lives in the line of battle.

On March 31, the grand premiere of the opera film Eight Sons, Eight Soldiers was held in Beijing. The production team behind the movie said the new film marked a significant milestone in the fusion of the national intangible cultural heritage of Ganzhou Tea-picking Opera with modern cinematic art.

Ganzhou Tea-picking Opera, one of the most representative local operas in east China's Jiangxi Province, is beloved by audiences for its lively combination of song and dance and its humorous and witty performance style.

The film was produced under the artistic supervision of renowned director Zhang Manjun in collaboration with fellow director Zhu Zhaowei, a creative partnership that precisely captured the intersection of stage art and the language of film.

Through the use of real-life filming techniques and immersive audio-visual methods, the film succeeded in breaking free from the limitations of the stage, critics said after the screening.

This film serves as a solemn tribute to the heroes who laid down their lives for the birth of People's Republic of China, inviting audiences to remember and honor their sacrifices during Qingming Festival, which falls on April 5, a time traditionally dedicated to paying respects to ancestors and fallen heroes.