The Sea is Calling (1982)

The first post-1949 Mainland production to shoot on location in Hong Kong, this seagoing drama has a dual timeframe connecting pre– and post–Cultural Revolution China, along with introducing one of the era’s most popular movie theme songs. It was a milestone in the career of Mainland film icon Yu Yang (who also directed the film) and provided Paul Fonoroff with what proved to be his largest screen role: a liuxuesheng (foreign exchange student) majoring in oceanography and serving his apprenticeship on a ship helmed by Yu, marking the captain’s return to the sea after the tumultuous Cultural Revolution.