Cannes (France): She is Asia's biggest export to Hollywood and one of China's most respected artists. The very versatile Michelle Yeoh has been part of some of the biggest and the best films made in China in the last two decades.

Her work, however, is not restricted to China alone. She also has memorable Hollywood hits to her credit like Tomorrow Never Dies and Memoirs of Geisha.

So, after extensively working in Chinese and American cinema, which side of the world does she prefer working in?

"It is not so much about where you make the movie but it's much more about the passion and vision of the filmmaker," says Yeoh.

Yeoh, who was once described by Oscar-winning director as his all-time favourite actress, says that the biggest difference between working in China and US is "the difference is the budget."

"In America you have the big blockbusters so that reflects and does help in changing the dynamics of a film. Language obviously is another difference. Then culture is different everywhere. Like I just did a movie in Prague with an incredible, young French director and then I worked with Asif Kapadia, an Indian English director who did Warrior in India and then we were filming in Norway. So, we lead a very privileged life."

Yeoh is in Cannes to promote her film The Children of Huang Shi.