An online debate is burbling over the patriotic blockbuster, The Founding of the Republic, as netizens have dug out information on the impressive cast of stars who lent their names to the project, and discovered that several of them have in fact relinquished their Chinese citizenship. From Global Voices:
Some news reports in August said that among the 172 famous actors/actresses and directors involved in the film, 21 hold foreign nationalities.
Well-known mainland writer Han Han (韩寒) discussed this on his blog (8/12):
我认为，一个国家，能让这么多艺人转变国籍，这个国家一定是有他的责任的。
My personal opinion is that if a country can cause so many actors to change their nationality, this country has to bear certain responsibilities.
他们变换了国籍，是他们的选择，这个选择就像离婚一样，可能是感情破裂了，可能是遇见了更好的，在道德层面上是可以谴责的，但是在人格层面上是没有任何问题的。
It is their personal choice to change their nationality. This is like divorce: perhaps their affection for the country has somehow disappeared, or perhaps they come across something better. We can criticize them from a certain moral stand, but there is nothing wrong with their personal character.
Read more about this debate [in Chinese] from China Elections and Governance. The opening set a record for ticket sales. Listen to an NPR reportabout the movie and read an article from The Telegraph.
