The trials of a mainland director

CHINA'S film directors are exploring new themes and stylistic devices, with the confidence earned of years of international acclaim. And one of the mainland's top talents, Zhang Yimou, will test audience reaction with the debut of Shanghai Triads at the Cannes Film Festival, which opens this week, from which he hopes to take home the coveted Palme d'Or.

While the story represents new terrain for Zhang in terms of content and style, the director seems confident that the film will be a success, despite a host of difficulties during its making. Chinese directors are facing a greater challenge in pleasing their international audiences.

'There's a lot out there and the novelty has worn off,' said Barbara Robinson, vice-president of ERA International and producer of Zhang's films Raise the Red Lantern and To Live.

Originally, Shanghai Triads was supposed to be a co-production between Shanghai Film Studio and UGC of France. Ironically, it was the participation of To Live at Cannes last year that started Zhang's most recent roller-coaster ride.

The movie came away with two awards, but authorities were not pleased as the film was not officially selected by the Chinese Government, and was banned from being shown domestically. Zhang's punishment for such insolent behaviour was a ban on foreign co-productions, which translates as no foreign money and lower budgets for several years.

This is no small problem for China's leading film-makers, whose best work - or that which has won critical international acclaim - has been supported by foreign producers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. The money has allowed mainland directors to expand their cinematic talents and explore a host of new themes.