This year's lone Chinese entry into the 2006 Sundance Film Festival (January 19-29) is the World Premiere of acclaimed director Zhang Yuan's Little Red Flowers, based upon a novel by Wang Shuo, one of the most famous novelists in China. It has been selected to participate in the World Competition section. Amsterdam and Hong Kong-based Fortissimo Films reps the film.

One of China's most popular and acclaimed 6th-generation filmmakers, Zhang returns after a long absence following the commercial success of his previous film Green Tea, starring superstars Jiang Wen and Zhao Wei, released in 2002. His previous works include award-winners such as the seminal Beijing Bastards (1992), Rotterdam Tiger winner Sons (1995), the controversial East Palace, West Palace (1996) and Venice Film Fest-winning Seventeen Years (1999).

Little Red Flowers tells the tale of a rebellious four-year-old named Qiang studying at a post-1949 Beijing kindergarten. Unable to conform yet longing for the accolade given to other students in the form of little red flowers, he instead uses his charm and wits to scheme against the teacher. The film is a contemporary satire that examines the inherent pressure of being forced to "fit" into the confines of a society.

Started by Robert Redford in 1981, the Sundance Film Festival has grown to become the most important American film festival for independent cinema. The World Competition section was added to the lineup in 2005.

(hkfilmart December 5, 2005)