Operation homage

As a major force led by the Communist Party of China in Guangdong province, the Dongjiang Column took part in over 1,400 engagements, eliminating more than 9,000 enemies, and establishing a revolutionary base area spanning 15,000 square kilometers with a population of 4.5 million.

One of the column's most internationally known contributions was using its knowledge of the local terrain and covert networks to successfully smuggle more than 800 individuals — including cultural figures like novelist Mao Dun, Allied prisoners of war, and downed airmen — through Japanese lines into unoccupied territory during the early 1940s.

Speaking about his role, a versatile operative who speaks Cantonese, Japanese, and English, Han shares that the character's background is rooted in actual history, as one of the column's distinctive characteristics was its many well-educated members, including college graduates and those who had studied overseas.

Mitchell Hoog, the American actor cast as the rescued pilot, says he immediately recognized the role as an opportunity to portray real courage upon receiving the script.

"Because this is a historical story, there's so much touching material to pull from," says Hoog, who was handed a trove of historical material for the role, including photographs, videos, and Kerr's personal journal. These resources made him feel "like a kid in a candy shop (of history)".