周杰伦 跨时代

China has chosen the new Zhang Yimou film Curse of the Golden Flower to represent the country in the Oscar best foreign film race next year, a news report said Sunday, while a Hong Kong industry official said the territory has picked the Feng Xiaogang epic The Banquet.
Curse, which revolves around ancient Chinese imperial politics, won a vote by a committee set up by China's Film Bureau, the Chinese news Web site Sina.com reported, citing Zhongguo Dianyingbao, a movie magazine overseen by Beijing.

Calls to China's Film Bureau seeking confirmation of the report went unanswered.

Curse stars Chow Yun-fat, Gong Li and Taiwanese pop sensation Jay Chou.

Meanwhile, Federation of Motion Film Producers of Hong Kong chairman Crucindo Hung Cho-sing said an 11-member committee of the federation picked mainland director Feng's The Banquet as the territory's entry.

Mainland film regulators do not have jurisdiction in Hong Kong.

The Banquet, inspired by the Shakespeare play Hamlet and starring Zhang Ziyi, Ge You, Zhou Xun and Daniel Wu, is a Hong Kong-China co- production. Sina.com said it was also in contention to be named China's Oscar best foreign film entry.

"Its story is suitable for the international market because it's a Shakespeare adaptation," Hung said.

The US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences usually narrows down Oscar submissions to as many as five. ASSOCIATED PRESS