Tencent Video announced Tuesday that "The Long Way Back," a new television series about a Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army squad during China's 14-year struggle against Japanese aggression, will premiere Aug. 25 on CCTV-8 and Tencent Video.

A poster for "The Long Way Back." [Image courtesy of Tencent Video]

Produced by Tencent Video under guidance from China's National Radio and Television Administration, the series marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The series is directed by Zang Xichuan and Zhao Yang, with a screenplay by acclaimed screenwriter Gao Mantang, Li Li, Ru Sheng and Li Zhou. The cast includes Hu Jun, Li Naiwen, Chen Jingke, Yuan Shanshan, Ren Bin and Song Jiateng. Singer Han Hong serves as music supervisor.

"The Long Way Back" follows soldiers who become isolated from their commanding forces and Communist Party of China leadership after a fierce battle, forcing them to endure relentless Japanese pursuit. Bound by their oath to fight to the death, they survive extreme hardships and life-or-death ordeals as they struggle to regroup and return to the battlefield, with their sacrifice contributing to China's victory and the global anti-fascist triumph.

"The Long Way Back" focuses on ordinary Anti-Japanese United Army soldiers in northeast China, portraying their intelligence, courage and resistance against Japanese invaders. The series depicts both soldiers and civilians enduring wartime hardships, telling history through individual stories and exploring themes of perseverance.

After the September 18 Incident, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, the longest-standing armed force under Communist Party of China leadership, waged a 14-year guerrilla war against Japanese forces. Later, they relocated to the Soviet Union for training and served as a vanguard force during the Soviet Red Army's counteroffensive, contributing to the eventual victory over Japan.

The production team conducted research at former Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army sites across northeast China to ensure historical accuracy. Screenwriter Gao interviewed more than 30 surviving veterans and descendants, combining firsthand accounts with historical materials during nearly three years of script development.

To ensure authenticity, the team also built sets, including replica Anti-Japanese United Army camps in remote forest locations in northeast China's mountainous regions, areas inaccessible by vehicle. Crew members carried equipment on foot through sub-zero temperatures to reach the snow-covered filming locations.

The team filmed round-the-clock, with actors performing their own stunts in action sequences, including gunfights, explosions and landslides. Producers said that for the entire cast and crew, filming the series was a journey retracing the paths of the Anti-Japanese United Army, with every camera setup serving as immersion into the spirit of their struggles.