Hong Kong veteran singer and actress Sammi Cheng is one of the front-runners of the Best Actress Award at the 62nd Venice Film Festival, for her role in Everlasting Regret.

According to sources, she faces tough competition from the other contending actresses, including Monica Bellucci, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lee Young-ae and Isabelle Huppert.

The film Everlasting Regret, co-starring Tony Leung and Hu Jun, was also nominated for Best Film Award at the festival.

The film's cast is now in Beijing busy at working dubbing the film, directed by Hong Kong veteran Stanley Kwan.

Other Chinese films receiving nominations include Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, Young Chinese female director Li Yu's Rosy Cheeks and This Year's Summer, Ning Ying's Perpetual Mobile and Jackie Chan's The Myth.

The festival bill has a decidedly Asian accent, with Chinese director Tsui Hark's Seven Swords opening the festival and Hong Kong director Peter Ho-sun Chan's Perhaps Love closing.

It will be held from August 31 to September 10.

(CRI August 3, 2005)