A star-heavy film project aiming to boost national morale following the devastating Sichuan earthquake kicked off Wednesday in Shanghai.

(L-R) Film directors Zhang Yibai, Huang Shuqin, Stanley Kwan, Wang Guangli, and Xie Jin, and scholar Yu Qiuyu attend an inauguration ceremony in Shanghai for the film project "One 2008th," on Wednesday, June 11, 2008.

The inaugural ceremony for "One 2008th," so named to emphasize every Chinese citizen's efforts for quake relief, gathered five mainland and Hong Kong filmmakers to exchange ideas.

The ceremony began with a recital of a poem written by famous scholar Yu Qiuyu, who was also present, to encourage earthquake survivors. Filmmakers in attendance -- Huang Shuqin, Stanley Kwan, Wang Guangli, Xie Jin and Zhang Yibai -- all seemed deeply moved, and were passionate about the project.

According to Shanghai Media Group, which initiated "One 2008th," each director will produce a short film on quake relief. Completed works are expected to be ready early next month for both small and big screens, as well as the Internet. Earnings from the DVD sales will be used for reconstruction.

Stanley Kwan, hailing from Hong Kong, thanked SMG for giving him an opportunity that finally allows him to do something for quake victims.

Wang Guangli, a Sichuan native, said his new film would tell the world that people in his hometown are tough enough to handle adversity.

Because the project is nonprofit, directors will be working without payments. Even so, more filmmakers have echoed the call to use film to boost morale. Besides the five directors attending the ceremony on Wednesday, seven other veteran filmmakers will be involved. They include Gu Changwei (Peacock), Ning Hao (Crazy Stone), Tsui Hark (Seven Swords), Wang Xiaoshuai (In Love We Trust), and Chen Kaige (The Promise), who has already begun his work in the United States, working with NBA star Yao Ming.

(CRI June 13, 2008)