The film, set in both New Zealand and China, follows the survivors of a shipwreck who take shelter in a cave after washing ashore before travelling to the Central Otago goldfields.
The working title of the film is Southern Islands.
Filming will also take place in the Catlins, Glenorchy and several other locations in Central Otago.
The film's creator, Auckland-based filmmaker Harry Wong, said while the film was directed at a Chinese audience it would also resonate with New Zealanders.
''It's really the story of a new country, because there weren't really any New Zealanders at the time. Everyone came from somewhere else - they were all here for the gold.''
Location manager Simon Riley said Long Beach was chosen for its distinctive cave and also because of the ease of filming in Dunedin.
