Zhuang Yuxin's Teeth Of Love picked up awards in three categories at the inaugural Xian Qujiang Film Festival for New Talents which wrapped in the Chinese city of Xian last night.

The film, which follows the love stories of a Beijing woman through three stages of her life - as a teenage gang leader, a career woman and a housewife - was awarded the titles 'Recommended Film', 'Recommended Director' for Zhuang and 'Recommended Actor' for lead actress Yan Bingyan.

Also winning the 'Recommended Film' titles were Wang Huanwu's Xiao Liu, a drama about a mentally-challenged sculptor, and Liu Qiang's Summer Story, about young gangsters in a rural village. Directors of the three recommended films were each awarded with a $13,000 (RMB100,000) cash prize.

Qujiang Film Studio, which organises the festival, is launching a $13m (RMB100m) fund for first or second-time filmmakers. The directors of the three winning films will be given priority to apply to the fund for their next projects.

In the actor category, Zhao Yi who played the disabled artist in Xiao Liu and Tibetan actor Gesang Jiancuo from the film Skyline were also awarded 'Recommended Actor' titles.

Cheng Zehu was awarded the 'Future Action Star' title for his role in the contemporary action film Tapian Tianyalu (literally translated as Travelling Through the World).

The Xi'an Qujiang Film Festival for New Talents is the first film festival in China aimed at discovering new filmmaking talents. Launched in May 2007 as an annual event, the festival selects and showcases films by first and second-time filmmakers under the age of 35.

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