Producers in Hong Kong and China are preparing two separate films about the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which are both scheduled to start shooting next week.

The Hong Kong project, The City Of SARS, will be produced by Mandarin Films with Steve Cheng directing.

Described by Mandarin as a comedy drama, the film is divided into three stories: the first about Hong Kong's medical workers; the second a love story about a boy and girl who meet when their building is quarantined and the third about a businessman who tries to deliberately catch SARS after the disease makes him go bankrupt.

The cast includes Dayo Wong, Kristy Yeung and Cheung Tat-Ming. Release is scheduled for late July.

Meanwhile, Chinese star Gong Li is considering playing a nurse in a mainland movie about the disease. Production is scheduled to start on May 12 for a July release according to the Beijing Times, quoting officials from Sanwei Audio-Visual Company.

The film revolves around a nurse who selflessly treats SARS patients before succumbing to the disease.

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