THE SWORD IDENTITY Director Returns With JUDGE ARCHER: Watch A Trailer And Two Scenes

Director Xu Haofeng is an unusual one. Soon to be best known to audiences around the globe as the screenwriter of Wong Kar Wai's long anticipated The Grandmasters, Xu has a whole lot more in his repertoire. An acclaimed novelist and serious student of martial arts, Buddhism and Taoism, Xu approaches his films with a unique blend of grounded pragmatism - you'll never see anything in his fight sequences that wouldn't actually work - and philosophical rigor. While Chinese martial arts film are increasingly moving towards flash and style over substance, Xu is moving in the opposite direction, blending a deep love and knowledge of film with an even deeper knowledge and respect for the practice and philosophy of martial arts.

Xu's sophomore film, Judge Archer, is premiering at the Rome International Film Festival and the first trailer and two clips can be seen below.

Judge Archer resolves disputes between the various martial arts schools, but cannot settle his own family issues and romantic affairs. When he is entrapped in a failed assassination plot, his ethics are put to the test.

This is a martial arts film set in the early days of the Republic of China. It explores the traditions and customs of various martial arts schools and the philosophy behind the art of archery. It is a story about "telling right from wrong". The protagonist acts as an arbitrator amongst the rival martial arts schools. Every day, he judges who is right and who is wrong; however, he himself is confronted with the most crucial question - should he himself be subjected to social conventions? This is a story that praises personal integrity.

Judge Archer is the latest film by Xu Haofeng, one of the most promising young directors in China. As in his debut film, The Sword Identity, Xu takes a realist approach to the martial arts genre. Xu himself has practiced martial arts for years and clearly understands the difference between real fighting techniques and the artistic choreography presented on the screen. As a result, he does not indulge his audiences with fast pace and physical sensation. Instead, Xu shows the viewers the true nature of each fighting style. The moves demonstrated in the film are realistic yet original and incredibly powerful.

Song Yang, Yu Chenghui, Li Chengyuan, Yenny Martin and Zhao Zheng star.