Chinese director Chen Kaige's mega-budget pan Asian project The Promise premiered in Shanghai Thursday night. 

Chinese director Chen Kaige's high-budget martial fantasy film The Promise has finally premiered in Shanghai Thursday night. The film cost a whopping  US$40 million to make.

The director attended the grand premiere ceremony with all the cast members including lead actress Cecilia Cheung, South Korean actor Jang Dong-Kun, Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, Hong Kong actor Nicholas Tse, Chinese mainland actor Liu Yue and actress and the film's producer Chen Hong.

The film is widely praised by audiences and critics alike. The film is a great present to the China Film Centennial and proves Chinese films are truly promising and prosperous.

(CRI December 16, 2005)