One year ago, Hero hit the silver screen and won its internationally recognized director, Zhang Yimou, an Oscar nomination for best foreign film. Now, another Chinese epic movie, the much-heralded Warriors of Heaven and Earth is again wooing the interest of global movie fans.

As projectors begin to click the frames away, the new movie continues China's quest for Oscar acclaim.

Although both films boast superstar casts and grandiose scenes, the story lines are poles apart. Hero is inspired by a version of the historical tale of the attempted assassination of the Emperor of the Qin Kingdom during the Warring States Period over 2,000 years ago, with artistic leeway. Warriors of Heaven and Earth is a pure fantasy.

In the story, Lieutenant Li, played by actor-director Jiang Wen, is pursued by a Japanese emissary. According to a covenant, upon the capture of Li, the emissary will bring back to Japan the daughter of a general, played by Zhao Wei. On the way to the capital, two battles against vast expanses of desert, as well as doggedly fight against gangs of hooligans occur. The process leaves their relationship struggling with imperceptible yet fundamental changes.

The miserable weather during the journey makes things difficult for the protagonists in the movie, as well as the cast.

Director He Ping has denied any use of computer-generated stunts in the martial arts movie. He insists that all of the fighting scenes in the movie are real. All the actors and actresses were subject to rigorous training by martial arts professionals prior to the shoot.

Even before its premiere in China, Warrior of Heaven and Earth has been preparing to do battle with its rivals for next year's Oscar competition.

(CCTV.com September 17, 2003)