SINGAPORE - Movie celebrities came dressed to the nines, cruising down the red carpet at Shaw House Urban Plaza last night at the launch of the Singapore International Film Festival.

Chinese star Zhang Ziyi looked regal in a scarlet-red gown as she stepped out with Hong Kong director John Woo and the cast of his latest two-part war romance, The Crossing, which is now screening in theatres.

Chinese actor Tong Dawei, who also stars in The Crossing, looked smart in a black tuxedo as he mingled with the festival's chairman and chief executive of Infinite Studios Mike Wiluan and Minister for Communications and Information Dr Yaacob Ibrahim.

Woo, known for his box office hits such as Broken Arrow (1996), Face/Off (1997) and Mission: Impossible II (2000), was accompanied by his wife Annie Woo and daughter Angeles Woo. He will be conducting a film master class for the public at 3pm today at the Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore, as part of the film festival.

Local film director Ken Kwek, whose black comedy-thriller Unlucky Plaza was picked to open the festival, arrived with the film's cast including Epy Quizon, Guo Liang, Adrian Pang, Pam Oei and Shane Mardjuki.

French actress Juliette Binoche also graced the red carpet last night, dressed in a royal blue figure-hugging midi dress.

Binoche will be attending the Singaporean premiere of French film director Oliviet Assayas' Clouds Of Sils Maria, screened in conjunction with 4th Rendezvous with French Cinema, tonight.

The Singapore International Film Festival is on till Dec 14.