Chinese director Jia Zhangke's new film "A Touch of Sin" ("Tian Zhu Ding") is among the 19 films short-listed for this year's Golden Palm, the top prize of the Cannes Film Festival.

A trailer for Chinese director Jia Zhangke's new film "A Touch of Sin" ("Tian Zhu Ding") has been released.

The inspiration for "A Touch of Sin" hit director Jia Zhangke when he was traveling to find a set for another movie. In an interview with ifeng.com, the director says while traveling around he was impressed by the mountains and rivers that he had come across and realized that human spirits were somehow as immortal as scenery.

He then wrote the screenplay for "A Touch of Sin" in which he created four modern-day, grassroots characters embodying the spirit of chivalry, the quintessential trait shared by ancient-times heroes in all wuxia films.

"A Touch of Sin" is Jia Zhangke's seventh feature film. His previous films usually focus on the changes of everyday lives brought to contemporary China by globalization. The director is known for his realist style.

Actress Zhao Tao in the film "A Touch of Sin" [Photo courtesy of Xstream Pictures]

The story tells about an angry miner revolts against corrupt village leaders. A migrant worker at home for the Chinese New Year discovers the infinite possibilities a firearm can offer. A pretty receptionist at a sauna is pushed to the limit when a rich client assaults her. A young factory worker goes from job to job trying to improve his lot in life. Four people, four different provinces in contemporary China.

But people can expect "A Touch of Sin" to be different from Jia Zhangke's previous films, as the director calls it an attempt at a new style. It is Jia's first action movie.

The film's four lead characters are played by Zhao Tao, Wang Baoqiang, Jiang Wu and Luo Lanshan.

Zhao Tao, who is Jia Zhangke's wife, is a regular actress in his films, including "Still Life", which won the Golden Lion at the 2006 Venice Film Festival.

He says the title is a tribute to "A Touch of Zen", a 1971 wuxia film by the late director King Hu. "A Touch of Zen" was hailed as the first Chinese-language film to gain international recognition.

"A Touch of Sin" is Jia Zhangke's seventh feature film. He was nominated for Golden Palm in 2008 with "24 City". His film "Still Life" won the Golden Lion, the highest prize of the Venice Film Festival in 2006.

Other films in competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival include Steven Soderbergh's "Behind the Candelabra", and the Coen brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis".

The festival, which is in its 66th edition, will run from May 15 to 26.

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