"The Aura of Grand Cinema"

To Chinese, he is a legend, an ethereal grand master of Peking Opera whose movements embody the art form he spent his life perfecting and promoting. And as with all legends, his stories eventually find their way onto the silver screen.
Renowned Chinese director Chen Kaige's upcoming film Mei Lanfang began shooting in mid-July, shored up by investments from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Boasting a budget of $15 million, the movie is set to be released in 2008 as part of the cultural offerings during the Beijing Olympics build-up. A biographical tale of the late Peking Opera star, it already has an aura of grand cinema about it. Chen said he wants to present the inner world and the powerful personality of the master performer, and not only his artistic achievements.

Chen's filmmaking skills are best known to Western audiences for his direction of Farewell My Concubine and The Promise.