Tang Wei (R2) takes the role of Xiao Hong in Ann Hui's upcoming film Goldern Era. Provided to China Daily

Ann Hui has mixed feelings about 'Golden Era'

Tang Wei portrays female writer Xiao Hong

"I don't want to see Xiao and her friends as literary masters," says Hui. "That would be too common a point of view. I would rather depict them as a group of young people, passionate, innocent, but living in a cruel time."

Portraying Xiao is actress Tang Wei, the lead actress in Ang Lee's Lust, Caution. Her last work, Finding Mr. Right, was China's seventh-highest grossing film of 2013.

"Playing a real person in history is something I always want to do," says Tang, "That means more challenges than playing fictional characters, because people have their own understanding of them and you have to put in more effort to make the character impressive."

The film will run for the Venice International Film Festival in September, says Hui, whose last film A Simple Life won a Silver Lion for best actress in that festival in 2011.