Hong Kong director Tsui Hark's big budget martial arts film Seven Swords premiered Monday night in Changsha, in south China's Hunan Province.

The film cost 140 million HK dollars, or over 17.5 million US dollars, and is adapted from the the novel of the same name by renowned Hong Kong writer Liang Yusheng.

It features a top-class cast, including Hong Kong actors Leon Lai, Donnie Yen, actress Charlie Yeung and South Korean actress Kim So Yeon.

Seven Swords will be the curtain raiser of the 62nd Venice Film Festival on August 31st.

(CRI July 19, 2005)