Peter Chan's musical PerhapsLove has been selected as Hong Kong's candidate for thebest foreign-language film category at next year's Oscars, while China has submitted Chen Kaige's fantasy epic ThePromise.

Both films are scheduled toopen in December and both are being released on a single screen in theirrespective territories this week to qualify.

Both also have US productionpartners. Perhaps Love is a co-production between the Ruddy MorganOrganisation (RMO) and Hong Kong's Applause Pictureswhile The Promise was co-produced by Etchie Stroh's MoonstoneEntertainment and China's Beijing 21st Century Shengkai. The Weinstein Company hasrights to The Promise in North America, the UK, Australia and South Africa.

Perhaps Love opened for a week-long run at the UA Taikoo Shing inHong Kong last Friday (Sep 23) in order to qualify. The $10mfilm features a pan-Asian cast including Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhou Xun, JackyCheung and Ji Jin-hee.

It recently closed theVenice International Film Festival and is scheduled for a multi-territory Asianrelease on December 8. Hong Kong-based Celestial Pictures is handlinginternational sales.

Chan said he turned downfive film festivals after Veniceas he felt that a shot at the Oscars was the best way to promote the film. RMOwas involved in production of this year's multiple Oscar winnerMillion Dollar Baby.

Meanwhile, the China FilmBureau confirmed that it has submitted The Promise to the Academy Awards.The film is scheduled for a pan-Asian release starting December 15, but isopening on a single screen in Chengdu in Sichuan province this Thursday in order to qualify.

Billed atthe most expensive Chinese production ever, with a budget of around $30m, thefilm stars Japan's Hiroyuki Sanada, Korea's Jang Dong-kun and Hong Kong stars Cecilia Cheung and NicholasTse.

Competition for bothselections was fierce with several strong contenders this year from both China and Hong Kong.