Chinese director Zhang Yimou is in the cold for Hollywood's invitation of directing a U.S. version of Korean film R Point about the Vietnam War. 

Tartan Films, one of the biggest European film distributors in Asia, revealed on Sunday that Hollywood has invited Zhang to direct the U.S. version of R Point, according to Monday's Oriental Morning Post.

R Point, directed by Su-Chang Kyong, was widely applauded in the Republic of Korea after its release in August 2004. But Zhang has expressed repeatedly before his disinterest in directing films for the west, the Shanghai-based newspaper quoted the company as saying.

In fact, a number of Hollywood companies, including Time Warner and Columbia, have sent invitations similar to this one in the past, Zhang Weiping, Zhang Yimou's producer and chairman of Beijing New Picture Edko Films, was quoted as saying.

Anyway, he will not go to Hollywood to shoot films, he said.

Zhang Yimou's new film, with the tentative name of Memories of the Autumn and starring Chow Yun fat and Gong Li, is expected to begin shooting in February 2006, he said. 

Editor: Donald