Rome Film Festival concludes China Day with HK thriller

Sean Lau in "The White Storm"

Despite the fact that the Rome Film Festival came to a close on Sunday, Chinese fans still lined the red carpet for the closing film, "The White Storm". The film stars three of East Asia's most famous actors, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung and Sean Lau playing police detectives in director Benny Chan's latest action thriller.

In "The White Storm", actors Louis Koo, Nick Cheung and Sean Lau are part of a narcotics squad trying to hunt down a drug king-pin based in Thailand. The three committed police officers are willing to risk their lives for each other, but their loyalty is put to the test when their undercover operation goes awry in a remote region of Thailand. A fierce battle subsequently breaks out with the drug lord's private army.

Although this film was presented on the last day of the festival and came after the award ceremony, the press conference and red carpet still attracted journalists and fans interested in Hong Kong action thrillers, one of the city's most outstanding export.

"This is my first time in Rome. I didn't expect so many fans, but of course I'm very happy. I hope they will appreciate the movie," Louis Koo said.

"The director is trying to tell a story about friendship. The moral value of friendship was a key theme in the Hong Kong cinema of the 80's and 90's, which of course the director knows very well," Sean Lau said.

The three stars of the film were already friends before they started the project and Louis Koo said that made matters easier.

Director Benny Chan said he got the idea for the film watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel about a SWAT team hunting down a Columbian drug lord. The movie, he said, was largely inspired by John Woo's films. "'The Better Tomorrow'. Remember that movie? He (John Woo) did a lot of movies that inspired me when I was young."

"The White Storm" was not in the competition at the festival. However, the overseas premiere closed the 8th Rome Film Festival, as well as its China Day special.