Three Hong Kong action movie directors will team up on a "jigsaw" cop-thriller with each shooting a different section of the film, one of the trio revealed.

 

The movie, believed to be the first of its type shot in Asia, is hoped to boost plunging domestic box-office receipts.

 

Johnnie To, director of triad gangster flick Election, Tsui Hark of kung fu epic Seven Swords and Ringo Lam, whose 1987 City on Fire was an inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, will co-direct.

 

To said there would be no script and that each director would be responsible for a 30-minute segment of the HK$20 million (US$2.6 million) project.

 

"Tsui Hark will first start shooting the film, then Ringo will look at the development of it before shooting the second part, and then I'll complete it with the third part," said he.

 

The movie will be shot in Hong Kong, To said, and the directors will not discuss the plot beforehand.

 

"Ringo might decide everyone dies in his part and I will have to finish it off," he said.

 

To said the aim is to breathe new life into Hong Kong's ailing movie industry.

 

"We thought about doing three separate stories together but realized that has been done before. So we thought, why don't we do something completely new. Then we decided on this project. It's like piecing together a jigsaw," he said.

 

To declined to name any actors lined up, saying only that mainland and Hong Kong stars will be involved.

 

Filming begins in May and the movie should be ready for release next year, To said.

 

(Shenzhen Daily March 24, 2006)