Poster of Warriors starring Zhao Wei (fourth from left) and Jiang Wen (fifth from right).

Two home-made films, Warriors of Heaven and Earth by young director He Ping and Green Tea by renowned new age director Zhang Yuan, are applying for the only national pass for next year's Academy Awards.

Warriors of Heaven and Earth (Warriors) announced it got the national screening permit yesterday from the central administration and planned to premiere in September.

A first round of screening lasting seven consecutive days or more in the home country of a film production before the deadline set by the Academy every year is a preliminary requirement for any Oscar entry.

The much touted Green Tea, a romantic and thought-provoking take by Zhang Yuan, however hadn't got the permit yet.

Poster of Green Tea with leading roles performed by Jiang Wen (left) and Zhao Wei.

Its process was thus halted by the central administration at the end of last year, the reason of which is yet to be disclosed.

If the Green Tea can't get the grant of domestic screening as soon as possible, it could miss the Oscar selections.

Warriors, the most hopeful so far, said it was also planning to apply for further national censor certificate to get the only official go-ahead to the Oscars next spring.

The final decision by the central administration will come scores of days away on September 30.

Film critics say it's yet to say whether Warriors would be the final winner. More films, even those that haven't been premiered yet, could still apply for the entry.

It's a happy coincidence that famous actor and actress, Jiang Wen and Zhao Wei, starred in both films.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Lifestyle News
+Premier: Stable RMB rate benefits all ( 2003-09-04) +Floods, typhoon kill 86, wreak havoc ( 2003-09-04) +Ministry: No SARS recurrence in China ( 2003-09-04) +Free-trade initiative gathers momentum ( 2003-09-04) +Several nuclear-power plants to quench energy thirst ( 2003-09-04)		+Two Chinese films aim at the Academy Awards ( 2003-09-04) +Childhood cancer survival comes at cost ( 2003-09-04) +New hope for Chinese hepatitis C patients ( 2003-09-04) +Multiple winners share MTV awards ( 2003-09-04) +Housing safeguard document due out ( 2003-09-04)