Tong Dawei (R) and Yang Ruoxi attended the premiere of The Volunteers in Beijing, March 5, 2008. (Photo: sina.com)

The Volunteers, a movie produced by Hong Kong action director Stanley Tong and starring rising stars Tong Dawei and Yang Ruoxi, premiered in Beijing on Wednesday.

The Beijing Morning Post reported that all major cast members attended the premiere.

The movie tells the stories of a group of young graduates dedicated to teaching in rural areas of southwestern China's Yunan Province.

"Being a volunteer is a glad thing in itself. You feel the happiness of giving when you are helping others," Stanley Tong, the director behind international superstars such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Michelle Yeoh, says of The Volunteers.

Playing opposite children is a great challenge, said leading actor Tong Dawei, who is also the volunteer's ambassador for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

However, Yang Ruoxi, who plays Tong's girlfriend in the movie, enjoyed working with her young costars.

"I am very close to the children. We play games together, share snacks and have secret talks," the actress said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2008)