Funkbuddha Productions

The Supreme Sacrifice…….The Ultimate Journey.

IN DEVELOPMENT

From the Oscar Nominated makers of ‘House of Flying Daggers‘.

YEAR: 2008 / WRITER: Tim Purcell / CHINESE WRITER: Li Pingfen / DIRECTOR: Jay Purcell / ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Jay Purcell, Christin Reuss, John Hodges, Xiaoyan Men / LINE PRODUCER: Zhang Yuyu / EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jake Seal / INTERNATIONAL SALES AGENT: Velvet Octopus, London / STARRING: Agnes Muljadi, Robert Lin / LOCATIONS: China / RELEASE: t.b.a., Theatrical, Worldwide

‘The Long March’ is a true story of human endeavor and sacrifice for a belief in a better future.

Revolution had been simmering in China since the turn of the century. The first republic established by Dr. Sun Yatsen in 1912 failed to unite the country. The rise of a student movement led to the creation of the Chinese communist party in 1921. A young library assistant and primary school teacher from Hunan, Mao Zedong, attended the inaugural meeting at a girls school in Shanghai in June of that year. It was to be a life affirming experience. With Chiang Kai-shek’s succession to the leadership of the republic in 1925 there was a brief collaboration with the fledgling Communist party in a bid to rid China of the warlords. It was a short-lived alliance. For within a year the nationalist guns had turned on the communist students and the mass execution of 600 in 1927 resulted in virtual civil war. Throughout the vast country communes sprung up. An ideology was spreading among the masses. General Chiang Kai-shek knew he had to suppress this movement if he were to survive. By the late summer of 1934 he was convinced that he had them trapped on the border of Kiangsi and Fujian provinces. Slowly but surely he would strangle the communists.

Surrounded and out-numbered ten to one the survivors of the first Red Army base in Juichin, broke out. Led by the Russian Comintern appointed former German Officer, Otto Braun, who had taken the Chinese title, General Li Teh. Their losses in the opening weeks of the campaign were horrendous. At a critical meeting in Zunyi, attended by the full politburo, Mao Zedong was to emerge as the leader.

The story of The Long March unfolds through those of individuals on the march, ordinary Chinese people, peasants and farmers who were prepared to sacrifice everything in order to create a new, modern China.