Radha Mitchell makes a welcome return to Australian cinema in the epic film Children Of The Silk Road - the first film co-production between Australia and China.

Mitchell, who has become a muse for Woody Allen as part of her escalating Hollywood career, stars in the movie with British actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers .

The film is inspired by the real-life story of British journalist George Hogg (played by Meyers), who lived in China in the late 1930s. It centres on the story of Hogg trekking more than 1000 kilometres with a group of orphaned boys to escape the brutalities of war.

Mitchell plays an American nurse who joins Hogg on the extraordinary trek.

Despite the interest surrounding other openings at the Sydney festival, including the dozen films selected for official competition, there is a separate buzz growing about the monumental beauty of Children Of The Silk Road.

Unfortunately, Mitchell will not be at the premiere of the film on June 14, because she is in the midst of filming The Surrogates - a futuristic Hollywood blockbuster starring Bruce Willis .

The film represents a significant creative shift for the Australian and Chinese filmmaking communities and is expected to prompt discussions for future feature film projects funded by both countries.

The Sydney Film Festival opens on Wednesday night with a screening of Happy-Go-Lucky, although film fans were disappointed to learn last week that director Mike Leigh will no longer be attending the Sydney opening.

There is still plenty of star wattage for the festival though - local Oscar-winners including Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush are expected to attend screenings throughout the festival, while Hollywood star Jack Black is due in next week for the premiere of Kung Fu Panda.