press release and casting announcement
Mandarin Films (posted September 3rd, 2004)
TSUI HARK ANNOUNCES SEVEN SWORDS
Internationally acclaimed director, Tsui Hark, announced his new martial arts wuxia epic project, SEVEN SWORDS, today in Beijing. Featuring a star-studded cast, SEVEN SWORDS will be shot in various locations in Xinjiang, China.
Produced, directed, and written by Tsui Hark, SEVEN SWORDS is an action-packed wuxia epic about love, betrayal, and heroism. Starring Asia hottest stars, including award winning Hong Kong actor and singer Leon Lai (Three, Infernal Affairs 3), versatile actress Charlie Young (New Police Story, Fallen Angels), international action star Donnie Yen (Blade 3, Hero), award winning China actors Sun Hong-Lei (Zhou Yu's Train) and Lu Yi, and actress Kim So Yeon from Korea. With state of the art costume and set designs by Eddie Wong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and action direction by acclaimed martial arts choreographer, Lau Kar-Leung (Drunken Master 2).
Adapted from renowned writer Liang Yu-Shen timeless classic, SEVEN SWORDS tells the story of seven unlikely heroes gathered together to save a village from the massacre of a general that is seeking a fortune through killing. In the early 1600, the long ruling Ming Dynasty has been overthrown, and the Manchurian invaders from the north have taken over the sovereignty, beginning what is known as the Ching Dynasty, and a highly oppressive reign thus begins. In order to prevent rebels developing revolutionary plots, the newly set-up government immediately imposes a ruthless emergency martial law, ordering all martial art practitioners to turn in their weapons to district officials. Those who fail to do so will be considered committing a serious crime and would result to immediate execution. But soon enough, people would discover that even if they were to obey the law and turn in their weapon, their fate is equally in dire. Wind Fire, a surrendered military official from the previous dynasty, sees this as an opportunity to make a fortune for himself by helping to execute the new law. After endless massacres, Wind Fire next goal is to attack the final frontier, the village of Bowei Fortress.
Fu Qingzhu, a retired executioner from the previous dynasty feels the need to put a stop to this brutality and sets out to save Bowei Fortress. He brings Wu Yuanyin and Han Zhiban from the village with him to Mount Heaven to seek help from Master Shadow-Glow, a hermit who is a master of swords and leads a group of disciples of great swordsmanship. Master Shadow-Glow agrees to help, and orders four of his best disciples to go. Together with Chu Zhaonan, Yang Yunchong, Mulong, and Xin Longzi, SEVEN SWORDS is formed. Fu Qingzhu takes the lead and they set out to save the people of Bowei Fortress. As they take the entire village leading them to the road of a safer place, they begin to encounter mysterious confusion. Food and water is poisoned, and trails of escape are marked with signs leading the enemy to them. They soon realize that there is an undercover spy amongst them, and SEVEN SWORDS must identify him/her before Wind Fire army gets to them
Principle photography for SEVEN SWORDS begins September 1, 2004, and the entire film will be shot in Urumuqi, Tien Shan, Shanshan, and various locations in Xinjiang, China. The film is set for release in the summer of 2005.
SEVEN SWORDS is produced and directed by Tsui Hark, from the script co-written by Tsui Hark, Cheung Chi-Sing, and Chun Tien-Nan. Executive Producers are Ma Zhong-Jun, Raymond Wong, and Lee Joo-Ick.
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Source: Hong Kong Entertainment News in Review
http://www.hkentreview.com/2004/features/s...sevenpress.html
To read more about the cast and which actor plays which character, follow the link above.
Official Site: http://www.sevenswordsthefilm.com/
Director: Tsui Hark
Action Director: Liu Chia-Liang
The CASTS:
Donnie Yen as Chu Zhaonan
Leon Lai as Yang Yuncong
Liu Chia-Liang as Fu Qingzhu
Charlie Yeung as Wu Yuanying
Lu Yi as Han Zhibang
Sun Honglei as Fire-Wind
Kim So-Yeon as Green Pearl
Duncan Lai as Mu Lang
Dai Li-Wu as Xin Longzi
Leon Lai
Donnie Yen
Charlie Yeung
Mount Heaven (one of the settings in this movie)
A Village in this movie
The Heros
Asian release date:
July 29, 2005
isn't it said somewhere that this film has already been invited to show at the cannes festival next year? or was that another one?
