BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Acclaimed Chinese director Jia Zhangke said Wednesday that his latest film "Ash Is Purest White" will be shown in Chinese cinemas starting September 21.

The film, whose Chinese name translates to "Sons and Daughters of Jianghu," tells a turbulent love story spanning 17 years, that involves figures in the criminal underworld.

Set in modern times, the couple -- Qiao and Bin -- experience gang fights, separation, prison, betrayal but eventually live up to the trust and convictions of "Jianghu," a Chinese term for society that is often used in martial arts literature.

The film premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival on May 11, as the only representative of Chinese cinema in the official competition.

Jia, from north China's Shanxi Province, rose to acclaim with his directorial debut, "Xiao Wu," in 1997. His "Still Life" won the Venice Film Festival's top award, the Golden Lion, in 2006.