Mao Zedong China’s founding lauded in film

Mao Zedong knew better than most the power of personality.

The film ignores Mao's purges and political campaigns after 1949

The film awakens national pride, there are a lot of Chinese movie stars that we feel proud of. It raises our self respect

The cult of Mao may be dead, but celebrity power is helping the Great Helmsman receive a Hollywood-style makeover.

The Founding of a Republic, or Jianguo Daye in Chinese, a new film from the state-owned China Film Group, is a propaganda epic that includes almost all the biggest names in Chinese film.

There are so many stars, about 172, that most have only cameo roles.

Jackie Chan is understated, in ‘tache and glasses, as an un-named journalist.

Blink and you’ll miss Jet Li, a navy officer who snaps Mao and Chiang Kai-shek a quick salute.

Zhang Ziyi, of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is surprisingly dowdy as a women’s committee member who advises Mao on the choice of flag for the new republic (ditch the yellow stripe, she tells the Chairman).