Chinese movie insiders hope to use this year's Tokyo International Film Festival as a showcase for the country's "new look" film industry.

In addition to Nuan, which will compete for major awards with 14 other productions from across the world, there are five other movies from the Chinese mainland that will be screened.

Tiandi Yingxiong (Warriors of Heaven and Earth), an action epic which has been hailed by many as the "first ever domestic blockbuster in China," will be shown on the opening night.

He Ping, director of Warriors of Heaven and Earth, and major actors and actress including Jiang Wen, Wang Xueqi and Vicky Zhao (Zhao Wei) have also been invited to attend the event.

In the "Winds from Asia" section, four Chinese movies will also be shown. They are: Dongzhi (The Coldest Day) directed by first-timer Xie Dong; Wo he Baba (My Father and I) directed by one of China's hottest movie actresses Xu Jinglei; Shijieshang Zuiteng Wo de Nageren Qule (Gone is the one who held me dearest in the world) directed by Ma Xiaoying and Wo Ai Ni (I Love you) directed by Zhang Yuan and starring Xu Jinglei and Tong Dawei.

Famous Chinese actress Gong Li is the president of the competition jury.

Because of these "Chinese elements," China's movie fans have shown particular interest in the Tokyo festival.

In order to cater to that, China Central Television has sent a four-member crew to Tokyo. Its movie channel has also opened a special program to cover the event, scheduled to broadcast daily for 10 consecutive days, starting November 1.

(China Daily October 28, 2003)