The newly released stills of Peter Chan Ho-sun's martial art flick, Wu Xia, starring Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tang Wei (SOHU.COM)

Peter Chan Ho-sun's martial art flick, Wu Xia, originally known as Swordsman, will have a global premiere on May 13 at the 64th annual Cannes Film Festival this year.

The film is adapted from the classic Hong Kong martial art film One-Armed Swordsman in 1967. It marks the only Chinese-language film to be screened during the film festival.

Cast members Donnie Yen, an influential kungfu star from Ip Man, The Warlords actor Takeshi Kaneshiro and actress Tang Wei from Ang Lee's Lust,Caution will be in Cannes to promote the film, The Beijing Morning Post reports on May 5.

In the film, Yen plays a retired killer seeking redemption who has taken refuge in a remote village. Kaneshiro stars as a dedicated detective who wants to hunt him down.

Another kungfu star Jimmy Wang Yu with international fame from the 1967 original plays a cameo role in Chan's adaptation. He will show up on the red carpet walk with actresses Li Xiaoran and Kara Hui in the cast.

This is Peter Chan's first take on the martial arts genre, following his historical epic, The Warlords, in 2007 and romance comedy, Perhaps Love, in 2005.

Reportedly, the director has employed a very different approach to demonstrate the physicality of martial arts by magnifying some medical and scientific elements in the action choreography.

Chan hopes the new project will reboot martial arts in the world's arena.

The film is under post-production and is set for a summer release.

(CRIENGLISH.com May 5, 2011)