MUMBAI: Jet Li will soon star in a Chinese-language drama Ocean Heaven to be directed by Xue Xiaolu. This film marks the actor‘s first non-action project.

Set in the harbour city of Qingdao, the film is jointly financed by Beijing-based companies BDI Films, Beijing Harmony and Harvest Media and Jiaxuan. Hong Kong-based Edko Films will distribute in mainland China and Hong Kong.

Taiwanese actress Kuei Lun-mei and Chinese actor Wen Zhang will co-star with Li in the drama about father-son relationships. Jet Li will portray a father and Wen Zhang will play his son who suffers from autism. Kuei will portray a stage performer at Qingdao‘s Polar Ocean World, which is the main location of the film.

Director Xue Xiaolu, who was the scriptwriter on Chen Kaige‘s drama Together, will also script Ocean Heaven. Christopher Doyle will handle cinematography while Hai Chung-man (Curse Of The Golden Flowers) will serve as art director of the film. The release date is set for spring 2010.