The wuxia epic The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom, starring Fan Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming, will have its international premiere during the ongoing London Film Festival.

Wuxia films aren't frequently screened in UK cinemas and are mostly known to Chinese-British or fan-based audiences, according to festival director Clare Stewart. "We want to play a role in changing that and in opening up the market here for those films, as well as supporting independent or specialized Chinese cinema to reach an audience."

Headlining the festival's cult section is a big honor for Cheung.

"It's wonderful to share my thoughts with people from different places," Cheung says.

"It's encouraging when we see more Chinese filmmakers go overseas to establish a brand of Chinese cinema."

At the same time, the director says he's not surprised that his film has attracted an international audience.

"The movie reveals a language that goes across the board," he says. "What I want British audiences to take away is more than entertainment, but also an emotional interaction - an understanding of sacrifice and love, as well as the gray zone between black and white."

Also showcasing stellar Chinese filmmaking is Diao Yinan's Black Coal, Thin Ice, this year's Golden Bear winner at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.

The film, a part of the thriller stand, tells the story of a cop (Liao Fan) who is obsessed with a serial killer. It is set in cold, gray northern China and spans five years.

Also under the thriller section is Kung Fu Jungle, which will hold its world premiere at the festival.

Following the story of an imprisoned martial arts instructor who collaborates with the police, the film that Chen says is "my first to cross martial arts combat in a contemporary Hong Kong action film, with elements of a thriller and crime detective story" has a stunning martial arts grand finale that is worth the price of admission alone.

Taiwan's filmmaking is also being celebrated. Hsiang Chieen's independent film Exit is a moving portrait of middle age and loneliness set in Kaohsiung city, while Dragon Inn presents a historical take on the wuxia genre.

King Hu's 1967 masterpiece is similarly set in the Ming Dynasty with plenty of the action and martial arts drama that characterize such films.

"It is important to open up this history for British audiences," Stewart says.

"Chinese cinema in the broadest definition of the term is very rich and diverse. Our selection is varied, and it's important to select films from the full spectrum of production."

The BFI London Film Festival runs from Oct 8 to 19.

Ming Liu is a journalist for the Financial Times.

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