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World War II espionage drama “Operation Doolittle,” a China-U.S. co-production starring Edward Zhang, Casper Van Dien and Jeff Fahey, is heading to the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents & Film Market,
where Cappu Films is presenting it to buyers as worldwide sales agent.
The nine-part series, made up of 60-minute episodes, also stars Ning Chang (“Girls,” “The Soul”). Zhang’s credits include “Legend of the Demon Cat,” Van Dien’s include “Starship Troopers” and “Sleepy Hollow,” and Fahey has appeared in “Alita: Battle Angel” and “Lost.”
The show spins a fictional intelligence story around the Doolittle Raid of 1942. It opens as an American intelligence officer, carrying secret plans for the bombing, is downed over a Japanese-occupied island near China’s southern coast. A Chinese agent working undercover inside the Japanese army teams up with a local military doctor to retrieve the plans, shield the operation and clear the way for Doolittle and his airmen to reach China.
Characters speak English, Chinese and Japanese. The drama mixes battlefield action with a tale of conflicted allegiances and the dangers of undercover work in hostile territory.
Zhao Jun, a longtime Chinese TV writer and producer, penned the series. Directing duties are shared by China’s Zhao Yilong and American filmmaker Shaun Piccinino. Chinese stars Morning Chang and Zhang Songwen round out the ensemble, and Han Sanping, who previously ran China Film Group, serves as executive producer.
The show debuted on Chinese screens as “River Sunset” (“Chang He Luo Ri”) earlier this year. It was later recut into the nine-episode “Operation Doolittle” for viewers outside the country.
“‘Operation Doolittle’ brings to life one of the most daring missions of World War II – the Doolittle Raid – and tells it from both Chinese and American perspectives. At its heart is a remarkable story of two countries coming together in wartime,” said Zhao. “We hope the series not only brings this shared history to a global audience, but also opens the door to a new generation of China-U.S. co-productions.”
Janice Woo of Cappu Films added: “Its story of courage and trust across divided loyalties, together with its international cast, gives us much to share with broadcasters and platforms. We look forward to working with the producers to help the series reach audiences around the world.”
Cappu’s Busan lineup also features “Fox Hunt,” toplined by Tony Leung Chiu-wai; Shan Jiang’s “Ephemera,” a Tribeca selection; Erica Xia-Hou’s Slamdance title “Banr”; martial arts film “Lion Fist”; Joy Hopwood’s Australian dramedy “Her Last Laugh”; and action comedy “Zombie Plane,” starring Vanilla Ice, Sophie Monk and Chuck Norris.
