The Warrior and the Wolf Debuts at Toronto Film Festival

Chinese director Tian Zhuangzhuang's new film, The Warrior and the Wolf unveiled at the ongoing 34th Toronto Film Festival Sunday.

The Warrior And The Wolf, a mythical fantasy film based on Japanese writer Inoue Yasushi's novel of the same name, is Tian Zhuangzhuang's comeback after a ten-year absence from the silver screen. It's also the first ever commercial picture by Tian, who shares equal prestige with his peer, Zhang Yimou in China's contemporary film scene.

One of the best-known works by Japanese litterateur Yasushi, who made his name in Japan's contemporary literature for his trademark ancient Chinese history novels, The Warrior and the Wolf is set in the Qin dynasty (221~206 B.C.). It tells a myth whereby along Qin's wolf-rampant north border, a frontier warrior and a tribeswoman are transformed into wolves after falling in love.

It is reported The Warrior and the Wolf has declined an invitation from the Venice Film Festival which opens one week ahead of the Toronto event on September 2.

The commercial epic, starring Japanese actor Odagiri Joe and Hong Kong model-actress Maggie Q, is slated for release in December of 2009.