Animated film about teenage Mao Zedong to be released

Posters of the animated film about Chairman Mao Zedong as a teenager.

(ECNS) -- China's first animated film about Chairman Mao Zedong as a teenager will be released this year, according to people.com.cn.

The film, "Shaoshan Youths – The Story of Chairman Mao", tells how Mao and his friends seek truth and happiness with a hunger for freedom and seeing the outside world.

Video clips of the film were shown at the 2013 Fourth Changsha International Animation and Games Exhibition in Hunan province, Mao's hometown.

Director Lei Junlin said the film will hit screens by the end of the year, for the 120th anniversary of Chairman Mao's birthday.

Parents may draw some inspiration from the 3-D cartoon film about respecting children's thinking and allowing them to grow up freely, the film producer said.