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Stars: Yang Song, Yu Chenghui, Yuanyuan Zhao, Ma Jun, Xu Fujing, Ma Ke, Zhexin Liu, Yao Weiping, Ou Keqin, Li Guisheng, Bing Bo | Written and Directed by Haofeng Xu

Haofeng Xu, writer of the still-to-be-released (at least in the UK) The Grandmaster, makes his directorial debut with The Sword Identity, a Chinese martial arts film adapted from his own novel.

During the Ming dynasty, four fighting schools exist in the city of Guancheng and anyone who wishes to set up a new establishment must prove their worth in battle. When Liang Henlu (Yang Song) tries to form a fifth school so he can pass on his master’s teachings, the martial arts masters mistake his sword for a forbidden Japanese weapon and believe him to be a pirate. After witnessing the power of the sword in combat, however, they begin to realise it could be the legendary weapon that was...

An upcoming martial arts film called Judge Archer, a sophomore project from the director of The Sword Identity – Xu Haofeng is premiering at the Rome International Film Festival and the first trailer and two clips can be seen below.

Written and directed by one of the most promising young directors in China, who clearly understands the difference between real fighting techniques and the artistic choreography presented on the screen, the scenes contain long takes, the pace seems slow, the editing is clear with no explosive effects during the fights.

Judge Archer resolves disputes between various martial arts schools, but cannot settle his family issues and romantic affairs. When he is entrapped in a failed assassination plot his own ethics are put to the test.

The film just received three Golden Horse Award nominations at the Rome International Film Festival, starring Song Yang, Yu Chenghui, Li Chengyuan, Yenny Martin and Zhao Zheng,...

"An archer left behind by history..." Whoa, this looks awesome. Today's trailer is for an upcoming martial arts film called Judge Archer, written and directed by up-and-coming Chinese filmmaker Xu Haofeng, also behind the epic The Grandmasters. As described by Twitch, where I came across this, "Xu approaches his films with a unique blend of grounded pragmatism - you'll never see anything in his fight sequences that wouldn't actually work - and philosophical rigor." Yea, it is badass. It stars Song Yang, Yu Chenghui, Li Chengyuan, Yenny Martin and Zhao Zheng. Just give this trailer a watch, it's impressive, check it out. Watch the first official trailer for Xu Haofeng's Judge Archer, from Vimeo (via Twitch): Judge Archer resolves disputes between various martial arts schools, but cannot settle his family issues and romantic affairs. When he is entrapped in a failed assassination plot his own ethics are put to the test.