11.  Chinese director Jiang Wen has a couple of tips for dealing with overzealous censors.

12.  Gong Li, the onetime muse and companion of Chinese director Zhang Yimou, plays the former call girl pursued and eventually won by the Irons character.

13.  Gong Li, the onetime muse and companion of Chinese director Zhang Yimou, plays the former call girl pursued by the Irons character.

14.  Politics also appeared to hamper another Chinese director invited to Cannes.

15.  He is rubbing shoulders with Hoffman, Patricia Arquette, Chinese director Chen Kaige and Nastassja Kinski.

16.  Among those attending were well-known Chinese directors Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige as well as US independent film-makers, the official news agency reported.

17.  China this week banned the latest film by celebrated Chinese director Zhang Yimou from entering the festival after having already confiscated the passport of another director.

18.  Chinese director Dai Rong has directed the Chinese-language production, which he has set in a traditional bar.

19.  Leading Chinese director Chen Kaige, many of whose films feature mainland film siren Gong Li, has had his share of difficulties over censorship in China.

20.  The incident is the second involving a Chinese director with a film at the festival being absent.