A scene in Zhang Yimou's "A Simple Noodle Story"

Top Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou's controversial film "A Simple Noodle Story" will compete for the Golden Bear at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, the organizer has announced.

Zhang's black comedy is one of two Chinese films vying for the Berlin festival's highest honor. The other is Wang Quan'an's "Tuan Yuan" ("Apart Together"), the festival's opening film.

"A Simple Noodle Story" was adapted from the Coen Brothers' "Blood Simple". It was Zhang's first film since his spectacular Oscar-nominated film, "Curse of the Golden Flower", in 2006.

"A Simple Noodle Story" opened with heavy promotion and media coverage in China last month.

However, movie-goers voiced strong disappointment that the film failed to live up to their expectations.

Zhang Yimou won a Golden Bear at the 1988 Berlin film festival for "Red Sorghum".

This year's 60th Berlin International Film Festival, one of the world's most prestigious film occasions, will run from February 11 to 21.