Classic films are spiritual wealth through times, but marks of time on films make it difficult for today's audiences to feel the real charm of classics. Film restoration has addressed this problem.

In the 11th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF)-Beijing Film Panorama, The Unfailing Radio Wave, a fastest-selling revolutionary classic, is the first 4K restored color film completed by the 5G new media platform of yangshipin.cn under China Media Group and China Film Archive. As a classic touching young generations in the Chinese film history, this film integrating the revolutionary spirit of Communists with the art life of filmmakers is the first film telling stories of the Party's underground heroes in the People's Republic of China.

The Unfailing Radio Wave, the first 4K restored color feature film completed by a combination of China's independent technology and the traditional technique

Over the past 60 years, The Unfailing Radio Wave has enjoyed wide popularity among young audiences and influenced one generation after another. Today's filmmakers and audiences have admired and been touched by the senior artists' performance and the heroes' revolutionary stories.

The restored version screened this year carries innovations through times. The restoring team combined China's independent AI coloring technology based on man-machine interaction with the traditional restoration technique, modified and colored black-and-white images frame by frame, to add new artistic charm to the revolutionary classic.

At the Opening Ceremony of the BJIFF, filmmakers first experienced the artistic charm and revolutionary spirit of the first 4K restored color feature film. Three special guests reviewed this revolutionary classic along with others. They are Tian Hua, Xie Fang and Wang Xiaotang who have grown with Chinese films over the past 60 years.The Unfailing Radio Wave is set in the period when they were young. Later they dedicated their life to films and the revolutionary cause.

Tian Hua says to Chinese filmmakers

The White-haired Girl starring Tian Hua, Early Spring starring Xie Fang and Struggles in an Ancient City starring Wang Xiaotang are memories of generations of Chinese, and revolutionary classics made in the same period of The Unfailing Radio Wave. The senior artists are no longer in the center of the stage, but remain professional and devoted. They are steering forward the filmmakers in the new period.

Tian Hua sheds tears with excitement while reviewing The Unfailing Radio Wave

Tian, Xie and Wang are all aged above 90. They have devoted their art lives to Chinese revolutionary films, upheld the revolutionary spirit of Communists and become what they are today. When they showed their great love for the film art and their respect to the revolutionary spirit, the audience off the stage was gazing at them, listening to their call in the name of films. Gong Li, Jury President of the 11th BJIFF-Tiantan Award, as well as jury members Chen Kun and Zhang Songwen were moved to tears.

Gong Li is moved to tears at the senior artists' stories

Tian said to the filmmakers off the stage effusively, "You are young, so am I, your youth is on your faces; and our youth is in our hearts." Wang encouraged filmmakers in the new era to "think deliberately and work solidly in prosperity; keep fighting in adversity; tell themselves they are the best in desperate situation, and forge ahead with their mission in mind until success"!

Xie cited the story of Li Xia, a Communist and He Lanfen, a female mill worker who covered Li, saying, "You were in love, so were we. Your romance was passionate in an era of peace; and our romance was prolonged in a revolutionary period". Stories on the screen are history, but the spirit was handed down till now.

The senior artists on the stage are examples for the young filmmakers off the stage. They carry Chinese filmmakers' valuable experience of advancing under the leadership of the CPC over the past 50 years.

Gong Li and Tian Hua shake hands as they talk

When Tian went off the stage, Gong with tears in eyes held her hands in excitement. They talked a lot. As outstanding filmmakers in different periods, they know what art needs and what artists' responsibility is.

After being screened during the 11th BJIFF, The Unfailing Radio Wave will soon hit cinemas across the country. Through this 4K restored color feature film, audiences will feel the charm of the senior artists, experience the devotion of revolutionary heroes and embrace their spirit in the new era.