The First Emperor of China

198942 minFilm: Fiction

G

Direction: Tony IanzeloLiu Hao Xue

Production: Barrie HowellsPan Han CiMargaret WongWong Guo RenColin NealeMa Ji Long

Script: Wong Ji ChengLiu Yun HuiRobert Duncan

Co-produced by the NFB and China Xi'an Film Studio with the collaboration of China Film Coproduction Corporation and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

The story of Qin Shihuang, who conquered six powerful warring states to unify the vast territory of China. In 221 B.C., Qin declared himself emperor of all China. During his reign, he introduced sweeping reforms, built a vast network of roads and connected the Great Wall of China which to this day stretches over 2400 kilometers. Although Qin's empire survived his own death in 210 B.C. by only thirty-six months, his legacy did not perish. From the grandiose inner sanctum of Emperor Qin's royal palace, to fierce battles with feudal kings, this historical drama re-creates the glory and the terror of the Qin Dynasty. The film includes the first documentary footage of Qin's life-sized terra cotta army, constructed almost 2,200 years ago for his tomb. The imperial system he created has endured for thousand of years, proving to be the world's most durable political structure.

Subject categories


  • Politics and Government > AsiaPortraits
  • Developing Countries > ChinaPolitics, Government and HistoryPortraits
  • Archaeology > Foreign CountriesPrehistoric Life
  • History > Historic PeopleWorld History
  • Social Studies > Comparative Civilizations
  • Civics/Citizenship > Ideologies
  • History and Citizenship Education > Neolithic Civilization to the Renaissance
  • History > World History

Credits


director
Tony Ianzelo
Liu Hao Xue
producer
Barrie Howells
Pan Han Ci
associate producer
Margaret Wong
Wong Guo Ren
executive producer
Colin Neale
Ma Ji Long
Barrie Howells
Pan Han Ci
script
Wong Ji Cheng
Liu Yun Hui
screenplay
Robert Duncan
camera
Ernest McNabb
Savas Kalogeras
Susan Trow
sound
Claude Beauchemin
editing
Roger Hart
sound editing
André Galbrand
Danuta Klis
narrator
Christopher Plummer
music
Eldon Rathburn
Zhao Ji Ping
cast
Bo Guan Jin
Wang Guang Hui
Wang Guo Ren
Ma Kun
Cui Luo Wen
Wen Qian
Sun Wei
Yang Ya Zhou
Yang Zhi Ping