Director Jingle Ma has been quite outspoken in his insistence that this version of the story of Mulan is vastly different to the more familiar 1998 version from Walt Disney. Unlike its Disney predecessor, this is not an animated movie; made in 2009, the film came more from Jingle Ma's imagination than from other productions. The story does not deviate much from the traditional tale told in the animated film; a young woman named Mulan does not want her ailing father to be drafted by the government and so disguises herself as a boy so that she can join the army in his place, but there is also an element of love story in Jingle's version, and the film ends with Mulan sadly choosing the good of the country over the pull of a romantic relationship.
Jingle Ma cast Zhao Wei as Mulan; Zhao also works under the name Vicky Zhao, and is one of China's most popular actresses - as well as one of the most highly paid. She did not win the role easily and had to fight off competition from other notable Chinese stars. Jingle's gamble paid off and her performance was widely acclaimed.
The film was recognized by the Chinese Government on its opening day largely because of its protagonist's decision to choose the good of the country over the desires of her heart. It was also the recipient of three major awards in its market, including wins in the Best Actress category at the Shanghai Film Critics Awards.
