Zhao Wei: Acting as a foster mother is challenging

Peter Chan's 'Dearest' screens in Venice

"A good film has to strike you, you have to feel a little different when you leave the theater, you have to be enriched, challenged and perhaps questioned," said the Chinese actress, who has also directed the films Tian Yu (Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl) in 1999 and Autumn in New York in 2000.

"I think it is the same thing as when cinema was born some 100 years ago. But what we have in addition today is a massive amount of technology which enables us to express better. Once a director knows technology and stays authentic and true to himself, the result is a movie that I would vote for," Chen explained to Xinhua.

She added she was eager to listen to the points of view of the other members of the jury. "I would love to hear how the costumes contributed to a particular film, or the music of it, it will be an extraordinary learning, and we also have great actors and directors in the jury," she said.

There are of course cultural differences in the group which counts members from different countries of the world including Germany, Britain, Italy, Palestine and the United States. "But I found just after having had one meeting so far that we share humanity, what we all want to see is something that reflects human condition," she pointed out.

For Chen, who has been three times at the Venice film festival, being this edition a member of the jury was a very important opportunity which she said she was "enjoying very much."

"After having watched about half of the 20 competition films so far, I am very confident that there will be no problem in making a decision as we are definitely seeing good works," she underlined.