Chinese director Chen Kaige (center), his wife Chen Hong, and child actor William Wang promote the film "Sacrifice" during the 61st Berlin International Film Festival in Berlin, Germany on Monday, February 14, 2011. [CFP]

Chinese director Chen Kaige brought his latest film, "Sacrifice" ("Zhao Shi Gu Er") to the ongoing Berlin International Film Festival on Monday, February 14, 2011.

The period drama about a man sacrificing his newly born son to save the life of another baby has been invited to be screened under the Berlinale Special section of the film festival.

Chen Kaige and his wife Chen Hong, who was the movie's producer, were in Berlin to promote the movie's local premiere. Child actor William Wang, who plays the saved orphan in the film, was also there.

"Sacrifice" opened in China on December 4, 2010 with hopes to lead the New Year's box office. But it failed to meet critics' estimates. With total earnings of 190 million yuan (US$28.81 million), it was soon eclipsed by its two major rivals, "Let the Bullets Fly" ("Rang Zi Dan Fei") and "If You Are the One 2" ("Fei Cheng Wu Rao 2").

The 61st Berlin International Film Festival, or the Berlinale, runs from February 10 to 20. Chinese-language films are absent from this year's main competition for the Golden and Silver Bears.