Jia Zhangke's biggest budget movie to hit Chinese theatres soon

Director Jiang Zhangke attends the premiere for his new gangland flick "Ash Is Purest White" in Beijing on Sunday, September 16, 2018. [Photo provided to China Plus]

Director Jiang Zhangke's new gangland flick "Ash Is Purest White" is scheduled to open in Chinese theatres this Friday (Sept 21).

In addition to making his wife Zhao Tao a lead actress, as he has in other movies he's directed, he also hired movie stars such as Zhang Yibai to play supporting roles.

Zhang spoke at the premiere of the movie in Beijing on Sunday.

"I'm a native of Chongqing municipality. Coincidentally, my part was shot in Chongqing. I play a diner who pretends to be a man of success and actually I'm quite familiar with the persons of this type."

Actor Dong Zijian (left) and veteran film director Zhang Yibai (right) attend the premiere for new gangland flick "Ash Is Purest White" in Beijing on Sunday, September 16, 2018. [Photo provided to China Plus]

Set from 2001 until present day, the 141-minute film follows a couple of one-time lovers through the transformation of China. Zhao Tao and actor Liao Fan play the couple.

Earlier, Ash Is Purest White was nominated for the Palme d'Or, one of the movie world's most prestigious awards.

The movie had a production budget of 80 million yuan, or around 11-million US dollars, and is believed as the most expensive among director Jia's nine feature films.