Chinese actor Xia Yu, who first gained international acclaim when he won best actor at the Venice International Film Festival for his performance in Jiang Wen's In the Heat of the Sun in 1995, will have a new film in Chinese theaters in May.

The busy thespian currently has a film in cinemas titled Love Credit which was released on March 14. In that film he plays a cafe owner who helps lovers record messages they are too afraid say to one another in person.

In his upcoming film, Christmas Rose, a courtroom drama directed by veteran actress Charlie Yeung, the 37-year-old will play a lawyer, which is the first time he has taken on such a role.

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