17 May Sat 0915 Star 4
21 May Wed 1800 Palais G
Road To Dawn depicts romance and the Chinese revolutionary movement in early 20th century Penang. Dr. Sun Yat Sen seeks refuge in Penang and mobilizes funds and supporters for the Second Guangzhou Uprising in China. The movie portrays Dr. Sun as a political refugee in desperate circumstances, as a committed doctor who cares for the society he lives in, as a leader of men and as a loving husband to his second wife, Chen Cuifen.
Based on the true story of Dr. Sun Yat Sen as a revolutionary in Penang, Malaysia in the year 1910, the storyline refers to historical events while incorporating fictional elements and characters.
The historic ambience of early 20th century Penang is recreated. Penang was a colonial society, a prosperous port which attracted people from all nations and walks of life, and a meeting place of East and West. With beautiful locations and costumes, the movie highlights Penang’s multi-cultural society, rich architetural heritage, and the Baba Nyonya or peranakan community.
Cast & Production
The movie brings together cast and crew from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Starring Taiwanese actor Winston Chao as Sun Yat Sen (historical character)
Angelica Lee Sin Chet as Xu Dan Rong, a Penang Nyonya (fictional character)
Wu Yue as Chen Cuifen, Sun Yat Sen's second wife (historical character)
Zhao Zheng as Luo Zhaoling (fictional character)
Produced by the Shenzhen Film Production Company and the Pearl River Film Company Limited
Executive Producer Wang Jiangcheng (China)
Director Derek Chiu Sung Kee (Hong Kong)
Director of Photography Chan Chi Ying
Film Festival Awards for Road To Dawn
10th Shanghai International Film Festival Media Awards
* Most Popular Actor Awards -- Winston Chao
* Most Promising New Comer Awards -- Wu Yue
12th Huabiao Awards
Most Outstanding Newcomer for Scriptwriting -- Maezi
2007 Chinese American Film Festival “Golden Angel Award”
2007 Guangzhou University Students Film Festival
Best Actor Awards -- Winston Chao
Nominations for Road To Dawn
Road To Dawn also received two nominations for Most Outstanding Movie and Best Actress (Wu Yue). The ceremony was held in Beijing on 26 August 2007. Presented every two years, the Huabiao Film Award is regarded as the top film award in China.
Road To Dawn’ won two out of eight Media Awards, voted by 220 international journalists attending the film festival on 22 June 2007. This is the first time Winston Chaohas won an international film festival media award for his excellent portrayed as Dr. Sun Yat Sen, although this is the third time he has played Dr. Sun Yat Sen in movies and television dramas.
Nominated for China Golden Rooster Best Music - - Pan Guoxing, Su Junjie
Nominated for Taiwan Golden Horse Best Image Design -- Doris Song
Filmed in Penang
The movie project was initiated by Goh Mai Loon of Penang. In the past, other international movies have used Penang a substitute location -- Indochine (1992), Police Story 3 (1992), Paradise Road (1997), Anna and The King (1999) and The Touch (2002); however, Road To Dawn (2007) is the first international movie set in Penang.
Quick points
1. The first China-produced movie filmed entirely in Malaysia.
2. Filmed entirely on location in Penang in August and September 2006.
3. An ‘Important Historical Topic Movie’ -- as classified by China State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) -- the first such filmed 100% outside of China and based on a historical event that took place outside of China.
4. Grand premiere screened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 27 June 2008, attended by both China and Malaysian government leaders and media.
5. The first filmed-in-Malaysia movie starring Angelica Lee Sin Chet since she achieved international fame. This movie also includes famous Taiwan actor Winston Chao (famous with Ang Lee’s movie ‘ The Wedding Banquet’ and ‘ Eat Drink Man Woman’)and Vicky Liu, and Wu Yue of China.
Road To Dawn: Filming in Penang
by Goh Mai Loon & Khoo Salma Nasution
A souvenir album in English/Chinese on the making of 'Road To Dawn', on location in Penang.
Providing a brief historical background on each of the movie locations, the book is richly illustrated, with most of the photographs professionally taken by the official movie photographer Di Jin Sheng.
REVIEWS
Before the Sunrise
By Richard Kuipers, posted Nov. 7, 2007, 9:09pm
UK Film Centre Variety
www.variety.com
Ye, ming (China)
A Shenzen Media Group, Shenzen Film Studio, Pearl River Film Co. presentation of a Shenzen Assn. for Intl. Cultural Exchanges, Shenzen Media Group production. (International sales: the Film Library, Hong Kong.) Produced by Wang Jiancheng, Zhao Jianguo, Xu Jianping. Executive producers, Wang Maoliang, Song Lequn, Liao Shuhui. Directed by Derek Chiu. Screenplay, Meazi.
With: Winston Chao, Angelica Lee, Wu Yue, Zhao Zheng, Wang Jiancheng, Vicky Liu, Duan Qiuxu.
(Mandarin, English dialogue)
Centering on a period skipped over by most texts and films about Chinese nation-making hero Sun Yat-sen, "Before the Sunrise" (aka "Road to Dawn") turns the spotlight on the medico-turned-revolutionary's relationship with longtime assistant and "second wife" Chen Cuifen. Set during Sun's 1910 exile in Penang, Malaysia, well-appointed mix of romance and politics is a respectful and respectable effort that has a rough shot at specialist export outside Asia.
Crucial task of making the central character heroic and human is admirably carried off by Winston Chao. Taiwanese thesp ("The Wedding Banquet") previously played Sun in Mabel Cheung's "The Soong Sisters" (1997), as well as in a TV series, and delivers a finely shaded interpretation of Sun in one of his darkest hours.
After giving general viewers sufficient info to get a grip on basics, pic opens with Sun arriving alone in British-controlled Penang to raise funds for another try at toppling China's Qing dynasty. Despondent after 20 years in exile and nine failed attempts, his plea for cash falls on the deaf ears of a Chinese business cartel headed by opium trader Xu Boheng (Wang Jiancheng).
Holding back Chen's arrival longer than seems necessary, the screenplay sets up a busy series of side issues. Dominant female in the early section is Xu's daughter, Danrong (Malaysian-born Chinese thesp Angelica Lee), a staunch Sun supporter who rails against her father's plan to have her marry the dweeby son of a British power broker. Feisty girl's true love is Luo Zhaolin (Zhao Zheng), a jealous schoolteacher who poses as Sun's new friend while secretly engaged as a Chinese government assassin.
These interesting strands, drawn partly from fiction, get a factual core to revolve around when Chen (Wu Yue) eventually enters the picture. Tenderly written and performed heart of the drama deals with her painful realization that 18 years on the road with Sun have left her disillusioned and fearing for both their lives.
Minus some stiffly scripted passages in which Sun preaches worker's rights to local laborers and inspires Xu & Co. to open their purses, Hong Kong helmer Derek Chiu ("Mr. Sardine") keeps firm control on perfs and interconnecting storylines as events draw toward a bittersweet conclusion.
Filmed on many of the actual locations, brightly shot pic is a dream for any buff of colonial architecture. Costuming and decor are gorgeous where required and sensibly restrained elsewhere. Only bum tech note is a lackluster orchestral score that sounds like library music.
Camera (color), Chen Chi-ying; editor, Meazi; music, Pan Guoxing, Su Junjie; production designer, Doris Song; art director, Terrence Fok; sound (Dolby Digital), Lu Hong, Wei Chunyi; associate producers, Chen Juncong, Zhang Heyun, Lin Xiping, Hu He, Qian Qiang. Reviewed at Hawaii Film Festival (Asian Showcase), Oct. 24, 2007. (Also in Shanghai Film Festival.) Running time: 125 MIN.
Penang dawns in Sun's biopic
by SHARON WONG, 2007/08/14
www.chinahistoryforum.com
Produced by China, filmed in Malaysia, and starring a local actress, Road To Dawn brings the life of Dr Sun Yat Sen to the big screen.
‘ROAD To Dawn’, the first China-produced movie to be screened in Malaysia, is set to be launched next month.
The movie about Dr Sun Yat Sen, the father of modern China, was filmed entirely in Penang and stars Winston Chao of Taiwan, Wu Yue from China, and Malaysian Angelica Lee Sin Je.
It is expected to be officially launched on Sept 17 by the Chief Minister of Penang, Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, in the State as a charity screening premiere.
There will be a charity gala the next day in Kuala Lumpur.
The organiser and presenter of the movie, Wawasan Education Fund (WEF), intends to raise RM1 million in funds for the Wawasan Open University (WOU) which was established by WEF last year.
The university is Malaysia’s first private, non-profit tertiary institution that conducts distance learning at non-commercial rates.
“The WOU organises distance learning for people who are unable to attend full-time education,” said Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye, the Deputy Minister of Information, who is also the movie’s organising committee chairman.
“We hope the fundraising efforts with Road To Dawn will pave the way for more people to have access to WOU.”
The three main stars of the movie together with producer Wang Jien Cheng as well as scriptwriter Meazi are expected to attend both of the charity screenings. Lee hails from Alor Star, Kedah and started as a singer based in Taiwan before venturing to the big screen.
Her real break came with a starring role in The Eye, the Asian hit horror movie by the Pang Brothers (she is engaged to Oxide Pang).
The role earned her the Best Actress Award at the Golden Horse Awards, the Hong Kong Film Festival as well as at the Hong Kong Golden Bauhinia Awards.
She won the Best Newcomer award in 2004 at the Berlin Film Festival for her role in Betelnut Beauty. She also starred in 20:30:40, Koma and Re-cycle, in which she worked with the Pang Brothers again, among others.
In Road To Dawn, she takes on the role of Xu Dan Rong, Dr Sun Yat Sen’s supporter. It’s a meaningful role for Lee. There are similarities to her own personality, Lee says, but she, unlike Dan Rong, would hold herself back when it comes to certain matters.
“But I truly love this character,” Lee added. “Dan Rong is a lovable girl. She is always on the go, riding her bike, like me in my schooldays.
“Once she decides on something, she goes for it, against all odds. I admire that trait.”
Filming Road To Dawn took Lee to places in the island city which were off the beaten tourist track. At the same time, there’s Penang’s famous food to keep her content.
In fact, Lee took the cast members around town and while tucking into great food, they formed a rapport that became evident when the cameras started rolling.
Lee was full of praise for Winston Chao. “Once in costume, he wholly becomes Dr Sun Yat Sen,” she said.
The biggest thrill for Lee while filming the movie was experiencing indirectly Dr Sun’s determination, dedication and undying love for his country. Road To Dawn is directed by Hong Kong’s Derek Chiu.
