SINGAPORE - Chinese writer-producer Vivian Qu, producer Sean Chen and actress Zhou Meijun from the dark drama Angels Wear White graced the opening of the 28th Singapore International Film Festival at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre on Nov 23 night.

In the opening film, which is about female objectification and corruption, the sexual assault of two 12-year-old girls in a small coastal town sets off a harrowing chain of events.

The Chinese-French collaboration has been nominated for three Golden Horse Awards - Best Feature Film, Best Director and Best Leading Actress for Vicky Chen, who plays Mia, an underage illegal worker at a motel where the assault takes place. Zhou plays one of the victims.

Angels Wear White was also the sole Chinese entry in competition at the recent 74th Venice International Film Festival.

In it, contemporary society is depicted as a place fraught with dangers and temptations for the young, given the corrupting force of money.

Qu had previously told The Straits Times: "When everything is up for sale, how can a young girl find the right answer for herself and move forward? This has all gotten a lot more complicated."

Also appearing on the red carpet were the likes of Qissa (2013) director Anup Singh, legendary Bollywood actress Waheeda Rehman, Japanese film-maker Daisuke Miyazaki and award-winning Singaporean film-makers Kirsten Tan, Anthony Chen and Boo Junfeng.

The Singapore International Film Festival runs till Dec 3 and more information can be found at sgiff.com.