Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's movie Back to 1942 made its debut at the 7th Rome International Film Festival on Sunday and is competing for its top award.

Starring Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody and American actor Tim Robbins, the epic film presents a tragedy of the devastating famine in Central China's Henan Province in 1942.

The film's director said he picked this moment in history because the tragic drought of that year claimed about 3 million lives, about half as many as the Jews slaughtered in World War II.

At a cost of 210 million yuan (about $33.6 million), the film depicts the darkness and warmth of humanity, according to scriptwriter Liu Zhenyun.

Beginning on Friday, the festival will show more than 100 films during its 9-day screening.