The stars will come out tonight in Shanghai no matter the weather, as Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle, former Bond girl Halle Berry and Bridget Jones' naughty boss Hugh Grant take to the red carpet in front of the Grand Theater to launch the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The world premier of Chinese director He Ping's drama Wheat will launch the festival at 8 pm at the Grand, host to the nine-day affair's opening and closing ceremonies.

Wheat is a historical drama about the women left behind during China's Warring States Period (475-221 BC), and the lies told by returning soldiers to keep the horror of war at bay.