Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
- 11/1/2022
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
Entries for the 2023 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly (more than 50) non-English dialogue track and can include animated and documentary features.
Submitted films must have been released theatrically in their respective countries between January 1, 2022 and November 30, 2022. The deadline for submissions to the Academy is October 3, 2022.
A shortlist of 15 finalists is...
- 10/31/2022
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
China Selects Feelgood Hit ‘Nice View’ for Oscars Race
China has selected feelgood comedy drama film “Nice View” as its contender for the best international feature film category of the Academy Awards.
The Chinese film industry has pursued an increasingly separate course from the rest of the world this year – few foreign titles have been granted import permits and quota release slots, and, similarly, few Chinese films have been allowed to play at overseas film festivals. So, it was unclear whether Chinese authorities would participate in the Oscars process and submit a national contender.
Inviting comparisons with “The Pursuit of Happyness,” the plot of “Nice View” involves a 20-year orphaned man who moves to the Shenzhen megacity and works as a repair man to raise money for his six-year-old sister’s heart surgery. When it goes wrong, his plan to borrow money to buy crates full of second-hand telephones leaves...
China has selected feelgood comedy drama film “Nice View” as its contender for the best international feature film category of the Academy Awards.
The Chinese film industry has pursued an increasingly separate course from the rest of the world this year – few foreign titles have been granted import permits and quota release slots, and, similarly, few Chinese films have been allowed to play at overseas film festivals. So, it was unclear whether Chinese authorities would participate in the Oscars process and submit a national contender.
Inviting comparisons with “The Pursuit of Happyness,” the plot of “Nice View” involves a 20-year orphaned man who moves to the Shenzhen megacity and works as a repair man to raise money for his six-year-old sister’s heart surgery. When it goes wrong, his plan to borrow money to buy crates full of second-hand telephones leaves...
- 10/31/2022
- by Patrick Frater, Anna Marie de la Fuente, Elsa Keslassy, Leo Barraclough, Nick Vivarelli, Mark Schilling, John Hopewell, Jennie Punter, Naman Ramachandran and Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Online ticketing giant, backed by Tencent and Wanda, is producing $9m animation Snowkid and comedy Passed Out, starring Ge You.
Chinese online ticketing giant Weying Technology Co is moving into film production and distribution with an initial slate of ten projects.
The Beijing-based company, which is backed by Tencent and Wanda Group, has launched production label Nextainment Pictures, which will focus on production, investment and IP development. Meanwhile, distribution label Nextainment Distribution will leverage Weying’s internet distribution capabilities and ‘big data’ services.
Initial projects include $9m animation Snowkid, from the co-directors of hit comedy One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes, Lu Hengyu and Li Shujie, which Weying will co-produce with Shanghai Animation Studio and Tencent Pictures.
The slate also includes comedy Passed Out, starring Ge You (Let The Bullets Fly), Du Chun and Charlene Choi, which Ge will also executive produce. Guo Shang (South Of The Clouds) is directing the film, which has Novoland...
Chinese online ticketing giant Weying Technology Co is moving into film production and distribution with an initial slate of ten projects.
The Beijing-based company, which is backed by Tencent and Wanda Group, has launched production label Nextainment Pictures, which will focus on production, investment and IP development. Meanwhile, distribution label Nextainment Distribution will leverage Weying’s internet distribution capabilities and ‘big data’ services.
Initial projects include $9m animation Snowkid, from the co-directors of hit comedy One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes, Lu Hengyu and Li Shujie, which Weying will co-produce with Shanghai Animation Studio and Tencent Pictures.
The slate also includes comedy Passed Out, starring Ge You (Let The Bullets Fly), Du Chun and Charlene Choi, which Ge will also executive produce. Guo Shang (South Of The Clouds) is directing the film, which has Novoland...
- 9/30/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Captain Fantasticto open festival in South Korea.
Asia’s largest genre cinema event, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) marks its 20th anniversary with the appointment of its first organizing committee chairman from the film industry – veteran director Chung Ji-young, and expanded festival and industry programmes.
Bifan will open July 21 with the Asian premiere of Captain Fantastic, the Viggo Mortensen-starrer that won Matt Ross the Un Certain Regard best director award at this year’s Cannes.
Running until July 31, the festival will hold its closing ceremony July 29 with the Asian premiere of King Of Pigs director Yeon Sang-ho’s animation Seoul Station. Currently playing at the Edinburgh film fest, the animated film is known as the prequel to Yeon’s first live action film Train To Busan, which was in Cannes’ Midnight Screenings last month.
The festival has a record 302 films from 49 countries, with 49 world premieres and 32 international premieres. These include...
Asia’s largest genre cinema event, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) marks its 20th anniversary with the appointment of its first organizing committee chairman from the film industry – veteran director Chung Ji-young, and expanded festival and industry programmes.
Bifan will open July 21 with the Asian premiere of Captain Fantastic, the Viggo Mortensen-starrer that won Matt Ross the Un Certain Regard best director award at this year’s Cannes.
Running until July 31, the festival will hold its closing ceremony July 29 with the Asian premiere of King Of Pigs director Yeon Sang-ho’s animation Seoul Station. Currently playing at the Edinburgh film fest, the animated film is known as the prequel to Yeon’s first live action film Train To Busan, which was in Cannes’ Midnight Screenings last month.
The festival has a record 302 films from 49 countries, with 49 world premieres and 32 international premieres. These include...
- 6/22/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
The Life Of Pi director was speaking during the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Speaking at the Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff), director Ang Lee has warned Chinese filmmakers to slow down and learn their craft rather than rush out under-developed films to satisfy the booming China market.
“I don’t want to hold [directors] back from development, but they shouldn’t grow too fast. This is an emerging industry and the start of a golden age - it’s not the peak, it’s just the beginning,” said Lee, speaking at a SIFForum session hosted by digital giant Tencent on Monday...
Speaking at the Shanghai International Film Festival (Siff), director Ang Lee has warned Chinese filmmakers to slow down and learn their craft rather than rush out under-developed films to satisfy the booming China market.
“I don’t want to hold [directors] back from development, but they shouldn’t grow too fast. This is an emerging industry and the start of a golden age - it’s not the peak, it’s just the beginning,” said Lee, speaking at a SIFForum session hosted by digital giant Tencent on Monday...
- 6/13/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Wong Kar Wai to direct two web series as part of the production deals.
Hong Kong filmmakers Wong Kar Wai and Peter Ho-sun Chan have both signed six-year production deals with Dong Ping’s Huanxi Media Group, which include two web series to be directed and produced by Wong Kar Wai.
The two filmmakers will become shareholders in Huanxi Media, which will be given preferential investment rights in their upcoming film and TV productions. They will also serve as members of the company’s artistic advisory committee.
Huanxi has exclusive 10-year online rights to the two web series, which mark the first time that Wong Kar Wai has produced and directed an internet project.
The first season will comprise 12 episodes, part or all of which are expected to complete production in 2017. The second series will be completed during the six-year cooperation period.
The company also has rights to invest up to 60% in two to four films directed...
Hong Kong filmmakers Wong Kar Wai and Peter Ho-sun Chan have both signed six-year production deals with Dong Ping’s Huanxi Media Group, which include two web series to be directed and produced by Wong Kar Wai.
The two filmmakers will become shareholders in Huanxi Media, which will be given preferential investment rights in their upcoming film and TV productions. They will also serve as members of the company’s artistic advisory committee.
Huanxi has exclusive 10-year online rights to the two web series, which mark the first time that Wong Kar Wai has produced and directed an internet project.
The first season will comprise 12 episodes, part or all of which are expected to complete production in 2017. The second series will be completed during the six-year cooperation period.
The company also has rights to invest up to 60% in two to four films directed...
- 6/2/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The biggest European film festival excludsively dealing with Asian cinema will open on Friday the 22nd of April with the South Korean blockbuster “The Tiger” and close with the Hong Kong thriller “The Bodyguard” on Saturday the 30th with the presence of the legendary Sammo Hung. Legendary director Johnnie To and composer Lim Giong will also attend.
The festival will feature 72 films in the official selection (5 world premieres) a retrospective of Japanese science fiction, the restored 4K versions of four Bruce Lee masterpieces and over 100 events organized around the city.
The line up of 2016 includes the followings:
Competition Section
China (10)
Chongqing Hot Pot, Yang Qing, crime-action- hipster noir, China 2016, European Premiere
The Dead End, Cao Baoping, cop-loves-cop thriller, China 2015, European Premiere
Destiny, Zhang Wei, human drama, China 2016, World Premiere
The Left Ear, Alec Su, youth drama, China 2015, European Premiere
Lost in Hong Kong, Xu Zheng, clash of cultures comedy, China 2015, International Festival Premiere
The Master,...
The festival will feature 72 films in the official selection (5 world premieres) a retrospective of Japanese science fiction, the restored 4K versions of four Bruce Lee masterpieces and over 100 events organized around the city.
The line up of 2016 includes the followings:
Competition Section
China (10)
Chongqing Hot Pot, Yang Qing, crime-action- hipster noir, China 2016, European Premiere
The Dead End, Cao Baoping, cop-loves-cop thriller, China 2015, European Premiere
Destiny, Zhang Wei, human drama, China 2016, World Premiere
The Left Ear, Alec Su, youth drama, China 2015, European Premiere
Lost in Hong Kong, Xu Zheng, clash of cultures comedy, China 2015, International Festival Premiere
The Master,...
- 4/21/2016
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The 18th Feff will feature 50 titles in competition, including Lost In Hong Kong, Mojin: The Lost Legend and Ip Man 3, as well as a new Focus Asia market.Scroll down for full programme
The Udine Far East Film Festival (Feff) has revealed the programme for its 18th edition (April 22-30), featuring a myriad of high-profile Asian titles from the past year.
The event will close with the European premiere of director and actor Sammo Hung’s latest feature, The Bodyguard [pictured], with Hung due to be in attendance.
Hung’s appearance marks the second year in a row that the festival has played host to a Hong Kong film icon, after Jackie Chan attended last year’s edition.
The Bodyguard (also known as My Beloved Bodyguard) has grossed close to $50m since its release in China on April 1. The film stars Sammo Hung as a retired bodyguard who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young girl.
The...
The Udine Far East Film Festival (Feff) has revealed the programme for its 18th edition (April 22-30), featuring a myriad of high-profile Asian titles from the past year.
The event will close with the European premiere of director and actor Sammo Hung’s latest feature, The Bodyguard [pictured], with Hung due to be in attendance.
Hung’s appearance marks the second year in a row that the festival has played host to a Hong Kong film icon, after Jackie Chan attended last year’s edition.
The Bodyguard (also known as My Beloved Bodyguard) has grossed close to $50m since its release in China on April 1. The film stars Sammo Hung as a retired bodyguard who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young girl.
The...
- 4/13/2016
- ScreenDaily
Xuan Zang (2016)
Historical Drama
Xuan Zang is an Chinese-Indian historical adventure, Directed by “Huo Jianqi” and produced by “Wong Kar-wai“. The movie is based on Xuanzang’s seventeen-year journey to India during the Tang dynasty in the 7th Century.
Xuan Zang was a Chinese Buddhist monk, traveller, scholar and a translator, who described how China and India got in together, in the early Tang dynasty. Xuanzang’s book, “The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions”, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia. It also provided the inspiration for the novel “Journey to the West” written by Wu Cheng’en during the Ming dynasty, around nine centuries after Xuanzang’s death.
Xuan Zang stars Huang Xiaoming, Purba Rgyal, Kent Tong, Luo Jin, Xu Zheng and many more. Filming took place in many locations including, Turpan region, Changji, Altay, Aksu, Kashi and many areas of Gansu,...
Historical Drama
Xuan Zang is an Chinese-Indian historical adventure, Directed by “Huo Jianqi” and produced by “Wong Kar-wai“. The movie is based on Xuanzang’s seventeen-year journey to India during the Tang dynasty in the 7th Century.
Xuan Zang was a Chinese Buddhist monk, traveller, scholar and a translator, who described how China and India got in together, in the early Tang dynasty. Xuanzang’s book, “The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions”, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia. It also provided the inspiration for the novel “Journey to the West” written by Wu Cheng’en during the Ming dynasty, around nine centuries after Xuanzang’s death.
Xuan Zang stars Huang Xiaoming, Purba Rgyal, Kent Tong, Luo Jin, Xu Zheng and many more. Filming took place in many locations including, Turpan region, Changji, Altay, Aksu, Kashi and many areas of Gansu,...
- 2/15/2016
- by kingofkungfu
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Dong Ping’s Huanxi Media Group invests in subscription streaming service, which could beat Netflix to the punch in China.
Online subscription streaming service Mubi is set to launch in China later this year following a $50m investment from Huanxi Media Group, the media investment firm run by entrepreneur and former ChinaVision chairman Dong Ping.
In a game-changing investment for the curated film platform, Huanxi will invest $40 million in joint venture Mubi China for 70% of the local business. The remaining 30% will be owned by Mubi.
As part of the agreement, Huanxi will make an additional strategic investment in Mubi of $10 million for an 8% ownership of the growing global service, which could now beat out mega rivals such as Netflix to become the first known UK or Us film subscription platform to launch in China.
Executive Dong Ping, who launched Huanxi last year after selling a controlling stake in film and TV company ChinaVision to e-commerce giant Alibaba...
Online subscription streaming service Mubi is set to launch in China later this year following a $50m investment from Huanxi Media Group, the media investment firm run by entrepreneur and former ChinaVision chairman Dong Ping.
In a game-changing investment for the curated film platform, Huanxi will invest $40 million in joint venture Mubi China for 70% of the local business. The remaining 30% will be owned by Mubi.
As part of the agreement, Huanxi will make an additional strategic investment in Mubi of $10 million for an 8% ownership of the growing global service, which could now beat out mega rivals such as Netflix to become the first known UK or Us film subscription platform to launch in China.
Executive Dong Ping, who launched Huanxi last year after selling a controlling stake in film and TV company ChinaVision to e-commerce giant Alibaba...
- 1/13/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
In the face of stiff competition from a wave of high-quality local competition, Lost in Hong Kong retained a commanding lead at the top of China's box office during the country's National Day holiday period, one of the busiest movie-going periods of the year. Xu Zheng's hit road movie grossed another $102 million for the week, slipping just 5 percent from its massive $107 million debut. The film's $209 million cume after 10 days makes it the fifth-highest-grossing film of the year in China. It has also surpassed its franchise predecessor, Lost in Thailand, which pulled
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- 10/6/2015
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lost in Hong Kong, the latest comedy from Chinese hitmaker Xu Zheng, raced past $200 million at the Chinese box office over the weekend, grossing another $41 million. The movie will soon exceed its predecessor Lost in Thailand, which pulled in a historic $208 million in 2012 and held the title for highest-grossing Chinese film ever for over two years. Lost in Hong Kong achieved its muscular $41 million second weekend in the face of fierce competition, as audiences turned out in force during the Golden Week holiday period in China. Former art house darling Lu Chuan's big budget
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- 10/5/2015
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Although he's little known in the West, Chinese writer-director-star Xu Zheng has cemented his status as a comedy kingpin of the global box office. His latest freewheeling comedy romp, Lost in Hong Kong, rocketed to the top of China's box office charts this past week, grossing $106.8 million in its opening weekend — the most ever for a Chinese film. The performance puts Xu well ahead of Hollywood comedy contemporary Judd Apatow, whose Trainwreck grossed just over $30 million in July, but a notch below Todd Philips, whose Hangover Part II earned a historic $177.8 million in
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- 9/29/2015
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In this week’s roundup of the global box-office scene:
• $100m start for director-star Xu Zheng beats Hollywood’s comedy kingpins
• Nancy Meyers looks to global seniors market to propel The Intern
• Hotel Transylvania 2 sets record for highest September opening
Not only is it rare that a film from outside Hollywood sits at the top of the week’s global chart, it’s also sitting there in grand style. Despite renewed competition from the Us studios after the summer embargo, Xu Zheng’s comedy Lost in Hong Kong has posted a Chinese debut very close to $100m (£66m, though precise figures aren’t confirmed yet) – the highest for a live-action comedy anywhere. That includes a $31.3m opening-day gross that is a record for a local film, and China’s third-highest ever behind Fast & Furious 7 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. The overall opening looks a little short of the...
• $100m start for director-star Xu Zheng beats Hollywood’s comedy kingpins
• Nancy Meyers looks to global seniors market to propel The Intern
• Hotel Transylvania 2 sets record for highest September opening
Not only is it rare that a film from outside Hollywood sits at the top of the week’s global chart, it’s also sitting there in grand style. Despite renewed competition from the Us studios after the summer embargo, Xu Zheng’s comedy Lost in Hong Kong has posted a Chinese debut very close to $100m (£66m, though precise figures aren’t confirmed yet) – the highest for a live-action comedy anywhere. That includes a $31.3m opening-day gross that is a record for a local film, and China’s third-highest ever behind Fast & Furious 7 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. The overall opening looks a little short of the...
- 9/28/2015
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
Hotel Transylvania 2 was number one at this weekend’s box office with a staggering $47.5 million. The monster comedy adventure from Sony Pictures Animation stars Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi and Mel Brooks . The sequel is Sandler’s best debut ever and if estimates hold, a record for a September opening. (Review)
Another film with dazzling worldwide weekend box office results is Lost In Hong Kong.
Rentrak’s Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian commented, “Actor, director Xu Zheng enjoyed an incredible global weekend as his ‘Lost in Hong Kong,’ the highly anticipated follow up to 2012’s ‘Lost in Thailand,’ grossed a spectacular $100.559 million in just 6 territories. Sony’s ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ also made its mark in 42 international territories and took the top spot in North America with a combined $76.7 million worldwide.”
The top 12 worldwide weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday,...
Another film with dazzling worldwide weekend box office results is Lost In Hong Kong.
Rentrak’s Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian commented, “Actor, director Xu Zheng enjoyed an incredible global weekend as his ‘Lost in Hong Kong,’ the highly anticipated follow up to 2012’s ‘Lost in Thailand,’ grossed a spectacular $100.559 million in just 6 territories. Sony’s ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ also made its mark in 42 international territories and took the top spot in North America with a combined $76.7 million worldwide.”
The top 12 worldwide weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday,...
- 9/28/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Drac Pack appears to be the new owner of the September box office as Hotel Transylvania 2 has followed in the footsteps of its 2012 predecessor and set a new September opening weekend record. In fact, it was a pretty good weekend all around for newcomers as Nancy Meyers has another solid opening on her hands, Eli Roth and Bh Tilt scored good numbers with The Green Inferno and a selection of limited releases managed strong numbers on just a few screens. Overall the weekend was up 29.8% from last year, but when you're breaking records that will happen. Hotel Transylvania 2 topped its predecessor, and previous September opening weekend record holder, by almost $5 million with an estimated weekend haul totaling $47.5 million. From Friday to Sunday the animated film, featuring the voice of Adam Sandler as Dracula, bested its predecessor every day and, with an "A-" CinemaScore (same as the first...
- 9/27/2015
- by Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
- Box Office Mojo
Following the recent successful theatrical runs for Raman Hui's Monster Hunt and Dong Cheng Peng's Jian Bing Man, Australian distributor Magnum Films will next be releasing actor / director Xu Zheng's Lost In Hong Kong. It is the follow-up film to the massive 2012 hit Lost In Thailand, which was the highest grossing local film at the Chinese box office until it was recently dethroned by Monster Hunt (now the all-time box office champion at the Chinese box office). Starring Xu himself and Zhao Wei, Lost In Hong Kong is set to become the next Chinese mega-blockbuster. Thanks to Magnum Films, we have Five double passes to give away to our readers. For a chance to win, all you have to do is to follow these two steps:1)...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/16/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Read More: Well Go USA Acquires Western Thriller 'The Timber' Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to Xu Zheng's "Lost in Hong Kong." The company will roll out the comedy film in a day-and-date release plan for China and the U.S. starting Friday, September 25. "Lost in Hong Kong" stars Zheng as Xu Lai, a former artist living out a mediocre lifestyle with his wife, Cai Bo (Zhao Wei). Planning to reunite with his first love on an upcoming trip, Xu's life gets thrown into disarray when he finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation that proves to be stranger than fiction. The film's predecessor, "Lost in Thailand," was the highest grossing film released in China in 2012, and it is currently the second highest grossing Chinese-language film in history, so expectations are quite high for the sequel. "We're very pleased to bring 'Lost...
- 8/25/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The deal has triggered a September 25 day-and-date release that will see the distributor open the film in North America on the same day as its Chinese launch.
Xu Zheng’s comedy, a sequel to the 2012 release Lost In Thailand, centres on an aspiring artist who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation before a vacation.
Zheng wrote, produced and stars alongside Zhao Wei and Du Juan.
Well Go USA president and CEO Doris Pfardrescher brokered the Lost In Hong Kong deal with Enlight Pictures.
The distributor holds Us rights to Toronto Midnight Madness selection Spl 2: A Time For Consequences.
Rlj Entertainment has acquired all non-theatrical North American rights to Thomas K Phillips’ The North Star, about two slaves who escape to freedom from a Virginia plantation in the mid-19th century. Production company LuckPig Studios will release in theatres in September, while Rlj will air the feature on its digital channel Urban Movie Channel. Jeremiah Trotter andThomas...
Xu Zheng’s comedy, a sequel to the 2012 release Lost In Thailand, centres on an aspiring artist who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation before a vacation.
Zheng wrote, produced and stars alongside Zhao Wei and Du Juan.
Well Go USA president and CEO Doris Pfardrescher brokered the Lost In Hong Kong deal with Enlight Pictures.
The distributor holds Us rights to Toronto Midnight Madness selection Spl 2: A Time For Consequences.
Rlj Entertainment has acquired all non-theatrical North American rights to Thomas K Phillips’ The North Star, about two slaves who escape to freedom from a Virginia plantation in the mid-19th century. Production company LuckPig Studios will release in theatres in September, while Rlj will air the feature on its digital channel Urban Movie Channel. Jeremiah Trotter andThomas...
- 8/25/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Fox International Channels (Fic) unit Star Chinese Movies (Scm) has acquired TV and digital media rights to three of Beijing-based Enlight Media’s biggest current titles.
The three titles are action comedy Hollywood Adventures, written and produced by Justin Lin (Star Trek 3), coming-of-age drama The Left Ear, based on Rao Zueman’s popular novel; and comedy Lost In Hong Kong, which stars Zhao Wei and Xu Zheng.
Zhao Wei also stars in Hollywood Adventures along with Huang Xiaoming and Tong Dawei. The film is scheduled for wide China release on June 26. The Left Ear was a hit when it was released in China earlier this year and Lost In Hong Kong is scheduled for release in September/October.
The three titles will be available on Star Chinese Movies (Scm) linear, VOD and online catch-up service (Scm Play) after their theatrical releases in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
“We are excited to work with Enlight Pictures and thrilled...
The three titles are action comedy Hollywood Adventures, written and produced by Justin Lin (Star Trek 3), coming-of-age drama The Left Ear, based on Rao Zueman’s popular novel; and comedy Lost In Hong Kong, which stars Zhao Wei and Xu Zheng.
Zhao Wei also stars in Hollywood Adventures along with Huang Xiaoming and Tong Dawei. The film is scheduled for wide China release on June 26. The Left Ear was a hit when it was released in China earlier this year and Lost In Hong Kong is scheduled for release in September/October.
The three titles will be available on Star Chinese Movies (Scm) linear, VOD and online catch-up service (Scm Play) after their theatrical releases in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
“We are excited to work with Enlight Pictures and thrilled...
- 6/18/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Fresh from a capital injection from Alibaba and a stellar year at the box office, Beijing-based Enlight Pictures has lined up a string of top Chinese filmmakers for its 2015 slate, including Xu Zheng, Zhang Yibai, Deng Chao and actress Zhou Xun.
The ambitious studio is also expanding its partnership with Justin Lin, who recently produced Hollywood Adventures, starring Zhao Wei and Huang Xiaoming, and next year will direct a 3D remake of Shaolin Temple for Enlight and Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Entertainment.
Lin is already planning a UK-set sequel to Hollywood Adventures, which is expected to start shooting next year.
Following the huge success of Lost In Thailand, Xu Zheng has directed a sequel, Lost In Hong Kong, in which he also stars with Zhao Wei and Bao Bei-er. Currently in post-production, the film is tentatively scheduled for an August release.
Zhou Xun is making her first foray into producing for Enlight with two projects...
The ambitious studio is also expanding its partnership with Justin Lin, who recently produced Hollywood Adventures, starring Zhao Wei and Huang Xiaoming, and next year will direct a 3D remake of Shaolin Temple for Enlight and Bruno Wu’s Seven Stars Entertainment.
Lin is already planning a UK-set sequel to Hollywood Adventures, which is expected to start shooting next year.
Following the huge success of Lost In Thailand, Xu Zheng has directed a sequel, Lost In Hong Kong, in which he also stars with Zhao Wei and Bao Bei-er. Currently in post-production, the film is tentatively scheduled for an August release.
Zhou Xun is making her first foray into producing for Enlight with two projects...
- 3/23/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Weinstein Company opened St. Vincent on a traditional platform and it appears to have reaped rewards from that old-school approach with a solid debut in a very crowded box office weekend for limited releases.
The film by Theodore Melfi grossed over $121K in four New York and L.A. theaters this weekend after opening the Hamptons International Film Festival Thursday. For the weekend, the Bill Murray comedy averaged more than $30K and boasts the weekend’s highest per-theater average. The film led a huge pack of new openers that included festival heavy-hitters such as Sundance winners Whiplash and documentary The Overnighters as well as the faith-centered Meet The Mormons and Christian Mingle The Movie.
TWC said that St. Vincent had a 67% jump from Friday to Saturday. TWC picked up the film in the script stage for a reported $13 million. Heading into the weekend, the company said it was capitalizing...
The film by Theodore Melfi grossed over $121K in four New York and L.A. theaters this weekend after opening the Hamptons International Film Festival Thursday. For the weekend, the Bill Murray comedy averaged more than $30K and boasts the weekend’s highest per-theater average. The film led a huge pack of new openers that included festival heavy-hitters such as Sundance winners Whiplash and documentary The Overnighters as well as the faith-centered Meet The Mormons and Christian Mingle The Movie.
TWC said that St. Vincent had a 67% jump from Friday to Saturday. TWC picked up the film in the script stage for a reported $13 million. Heading into the weekend, the company said it was capitalizing...
- 10/12/2014
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
3Rd Update, Monday, 3:25Pm Pt: The majors — Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros. — have updated their weekend estimates which are now reflected throughout the story. Some dips from what was originally reported yesterday among Sony and Paramount’s titles, but nothing too earth-shattering. While Gone Girl barely notched No. 1 with roughly $400K more than Annabelle stateside, $37.5M to $37.1M respectively; their spread at the overseas B.O. is wider in their weekend takes with the David Fincher film grabbing $24.5M and The Conjuring spinoff taking $20.7M for the weekend. However, Annabelle has a leg up on Gone Girl since it opened in Russia last weekend, hence the horror film’s total cume is $23.6M, $887K short of Gone Girl’s foreign take. Next weekend, the spooky doll film and the missing chick pic will pull each other’s hair in France and Spain where they bow against each other.
- 10/6/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
It.s hardly the ideal date movie but David Fincher.s lacerating portrait of a marriage gone sour drove ticket sales at Australian cinemas last weekend.
Starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike and based on Gillian Flynn.s best-selling novel, Gone Girl grabbed $4.7 million from Thursday to Sunday according to Rentrak.s estimates and $5 million with previews.
Pro-rata, that.s more potent than the Us 3-day bow of $US37.5 million, where the Fox film had to fight off a strong challenge from fellow debutante Annabelle.
The horror movie produced by James Wan, who directed the 2013 hit The Conjuring, fetched $US37.1 million in the Us, an unusually big opening for the genre, and a solid $1.9 million in Australia.
Here The Maze Runner continued to run hard, taking nearly $2 million in its third weekend (off 34%), propelling its takings to $12.8 million.
Despite mostly withering reviews, Dracula Untold, the origin story of the man who became Dracula,...
Starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike and based on Gillian Flynn.s best-selling novel, Gone Girl grabbed $4.7 million from Thursday to Sunday according to Rentrak.s estimates and $5 million with previews.
Pro-rata, that.s more potent than the Us 3-day bow of $US37.5 million, where the Fox film had to fight off a strong challenge from fellow debutante Annabelle.
The horror movie produced by James Wan, who directed the 2013 hit The Conjuring, fetched $US37.1 million in the Us, an unusually big opening for the genre, and a solid $1.9 million in Australia.
Here The Maze Runner continued to run hard, taking nearly $2 million in its third weekend (off 34%), propelling its takings to $12.8 million.
Despite mostly withering reviews, Dracula Untold, the origin story of the man who became Dracula,...
- 10/6/2014
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Ning Hao is comedy gold in China. His road-trip chuckle-fest Breakup Buddies just shot to the top of the international box office chart with a weekend take of $38 million in China, pushing the film's nine-day total to a whopping $93 million. A tale of a recently divorced man and his best friend who set off on a series of misadventures, Breakup Buddies reunites actors Xu Zheng and Huang Bo in their first movie together since megahit Lost in Thailand, which grossed nearly $200 million in China in 2012. Ning has done it before. His 2005 dramedy
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- 10/6/2014
- by Clifford Coonan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chinese road-trip comedy Breakup Buddies shot to the top of the international box office chart with a weekend take of $38 million in China, pushing the film's nine-day total to a staggering $93 million, according to Rentrak. From director Ning Hao, Breakup Buddies follows a recently divorced man and his best friend who set off on a series of misadventures. It reteams actors Xu Zheng and Huang Bo in their first movie together since megahit Lost in Thailand, which grossed nearly $200 million in China in 2012. Read more Toronto: 'Breakup Buddies' Director on the Absurdity of Modern
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- 10/5/2014
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Foreign films and a doc scored well in the Specialty arena this weekend. That isn’t something I get to write very often but it’s a pleasure when it happens. China Lion‘s Breakup Buddies, Tribeca Film‘s music doc Nas: Time Is Illmatic and Bollywood heavyweight Bang Bang all pulled in solid numbers when they debuted this weekend among U.S. speciality films.
By contrast, the weekend’s most notable U.S. indie debut, Jason Reitman‘s Men, Women & Children, took a dive in its first limited runs, while Radius-twc’s music documentary Keep On Keepin’ On again lived up to its name, gathering momentum in its third week.
That so-so start came even though Paramount seemingly did everything right for Men, Women & Children after a premiere at Toronto. The company created a marketing campaign that targeted both social networking-savvy young audiences and the traditional movie-going crowd. The...
By contrast, the weekend’s most notable U.S. indie debut, Jason Reitman‘s Men, Women & Children, took a dive in its first limited runs, while Radius-twc’s music documentary Keep On Keepin’ On again lived up to its name, gathering momentum in its third week.
That so-so start came even though Paramount seemingly did everything right for Men, Women & Children after a premiere at Toronto. The company created a marketing campaign that targeted both social networking-savvy young audiences and the traditional movie-going crowd. The...
- 10/5/2014
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
Just by averting his eyes while muttering "Mr. Cock Boom," Chinese comedian Huang Bo justifies his status as a record-breaking mega-star in Breakup Buddies, a tone-deaf buddy comedy that's like 10 by way of Due Date. As Geng Hao, an embittered divorcee questing for rebound sex with help from boorish wingman Hao Yi (Xu Zheng), Huang (Lost in Thailand) makes a flimsy part engaging, even when he's using that obnoxious dating-website screen-name to get laid. Geng's story is only fitfully involving since his adventures in lady-killing are either crass or sappy. Geng at first tries and then decides not to bed a girl half his age, but only after Hao Yi baldly explains "the shadow effect," a trite self-help philosophy that serves as the film's thematic takeaway: "Now yo...
- 10/1/2014
- Village Voice
With China‘s National Day holiday officially kicking off Wednesday, the Middle Kingdom box office is poised for an extra boost thanks to today’s timely release of Breakup Buddies. The comedy is a sort of follow-up to smash hit Lost In Thailand. That film was key to a surge in local box office at the end of 2012 and made headlines around the globe. Breakup Buddies, which is particularly racy as far as Chinese movies go (check out the trailer above), has the added cachet of releasing in the U.S. later this week. China Lion picked up the film for North America and Australia/New Zealand ahead of its Toronto Film Festival premiere and will send it out in those markets at the end of this week. Im Global acquired the rights before Toronto and is handling it internationally.
The film stars Xu Zheng and Huang Bo and is...
The film stars Xu Zheng and Huang Bo and is...
- 9/30/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
An oblivious, big-city lawyer gets in over his head in No Man's Land, a neo-western thriller directed by Ning Hao. The film, shot in 2009, sat on a shelf of censorship as the Chinese government deemed it too "nihilistic." To this, the Fantastic Fest crowd, who got their first look at No Man's Land, said, "Yeah, what's the big deal?" What ends up being the big deal is that the film is as smart as it is cool, a deliberately paced trek into the Gobi Desert with a handful of badass trimmings and a nice, rustic fringe. It's the kind of quirky actioner with even quirkier characters that's getting comparisons to the Coen Brothers, and for good reason. That big-city lawyer, played by Xu Zheng, is just trying to look out for his client, a falcon poacher (Duo Bujie) who's been accused of murdering a cop. The lawyer gets his client out of immediate trouble,...
- 9/25/2014
- by Jeremy Kirk
- firstshowing.net
Distributor picks up comedy for Us and Australia/Nz from Im Global.
China Lion Film Distribution has picked up Xu Zheng-Huang Bo starrer Breakup Buddies at Toronto from Im Global for North America and Australia/New Zealand.
Ning Hao directs the Mandarin-language comedy which reunites Xu Zheng and Huang Bo in their first comedy since Chinese hit Lost in Thailand.
The film, which co-stars Zhou Dongyu, charts the road trip of two friends trying to forget their troubles after one is divorced.
The film will be released on October 2 in Australia and New Zealand and October 3 in the United States and Canada.
Producers include Injo Films Limited, Beijing Asian Union Culture & Media Investment, Ltd., Beijing Galloping Horse Film Co. Ltd., China Film Co. Ltd., Beijing Shine Land Culture, Beijing Talent International Film Company Limited, Beijing Skywheel Entertainment Co. Ltd. and HuangBo Studio. ...
China Lion Film Distribution has picked up Xu Zheng-Huang Bo starrer Breakup Buddies at Toronto from Im Global for North America and Australia/New Zealand.
Ning Hao directs the Mandarin-language comedy which reunites Xu Zheng and Huang Bo in their first comedy since Chinese hit Lost in Thailand.
The film, which co-stars Zhou Dongyu, charts the road trip of two friends trying to forget their troubles after one is divorced.
The film will be released on October 2 in Australia and New Zealand and October 3 in the United States and Canada.
Producers include Injo Films Limited, Beijing Asian Union Culture & Media Investment, Ltd., Beijing Galloping Horse Film Co. Ltd., China Film Co. Ltd., Beijing Shine Land Culture, Beijing Talent International Film Company Limited, Beijing Skywheel Entertainment Co. Ltd. and HuangBo Studio. ...
- 9/6/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Chinese director Ning Hao has won a legion of fans at home - and a decent sized cult around the globe - thanks to his quirky sense of humor, an element typically woven into stories based in other genres, and with his latest effort he's going all out on that front.Titled Breakup Buddies the film follows a former singer and his best friend on a road trip to deal with the emotional aftermath of a messy divorce. Huang Bo and Xu Zheng star in what could easily be seen as a local spin on the films of Todd Phillips or Judd Apatow. Check out the trailer below....
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/25/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Nyaff 2014 runs June 27-July 14 in New York City. Follow all of our coverage here. Pan (Xu Zheng) just wants to go home. After a hard stretch of work — he’s a lawyer who used sleazy tactics to get his cop-killing, falcon-poaching client off — he just wants to leave this Podunk town in rural China behind and get back to Beijing. His amoral and unapologetic client, known only as Boss (Duo Bujie), claims to not have Pan’s full fee so the lawyer takes his car as collateral and heads out on what should be a simple drive across part of the Gobi desert. Of course it ends up being anything but simple. A run-in with a pair of vindictive truckers sets in motion a chain of events that sees him running afoul of Boss’ henchman, some rest stop scam artists and eventually of Boss himself. Pan keeps moving forward in the belief that his position in society...
- 7/2/2014
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Fortissimo Films has sold recent pick-up The Great Hypnotist to several territories and continues to do brisk business on Berlin Golden Bear winner Black Coal, Thin Ice, which was gone to Broadmedia Studios for Japan.
Produced by Wanda Media, The Great Hypnotist has been sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Singapore and Malaysia (Clover Films) and Taiwan (Eagle Pictures). Fox International Channels has acquired pay-tv and digital rights for South-East Asia, while worldwide airline rights went to Encore.
Golden Scene is planning a mid-June release for the film, which has grossed more than $35m in mainland China. The mystery thriller is directed by Leste Chen and stars Xu Zheng and Karen Mok.
Broadmedia is planning a theatrical release in early 2015 for Black Coal, Thin Ice, which has also gone to Belgium (Imagine Film Distribution), Netherlands and Luxembourg (Non-Stop Entertainment) and Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland (Ab). HBO Central Europe acquired first run pay-tv rights for Central...
Produced by Wanda Media, The Great Hypnotist has been sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Singapore and Malaysia (Clover Films) and Taiwan (Eagle Pictures). Fox International Channels has acquired pay-tv and digital rights for South-East Asia, while worldwide airline rights went to Encore.
Golden Scene is planning a mid-June release for the film, which has grossed more than $35m in mainland China. The mystery thriller is directed by Leste Chen and stars Xu Zheng and Karen Mok.
Broadmedia is planning a theatrical release in early 2015 for Black Coal, Thin Ice, which has also gone to Belgium (Imagine Film Distribution), Netherlands and Luxembourg (Non-Stop Entertainment) and Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland (Ab). HBO Central Europe acquired first run pay-tv rights for Central...
- 5/19/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Fortissimo Films has struck a deal with China’s Wanda Media to handle worldwide sales (excluding Hk, Taiwan, Se-Asia) on current box office hit The Great Hypnotist.
Directed by Leste Chen, the film was released last weekend in China and has so far grossed an estimated $25m. Fortissimo will handle worldwide sales on the film, excluding Hong Kong, Taiwan and South-East Asia, which will handled by Wanda’s own distribution team.
The mystery thriller, representing a new direction in genre filmmaking in China, tells the story of a renowned therapist, skilled in hypnotherapy who meets a deeply troubled patient he is unable to help. Xu Zheng (Lost In Thailand) and Karen Mok head the cast. The film was produced by Tina Shi and Wanda’s James Li and executive produced by Xu Zheng and Wanda’s Gillian Zhao.
Taiwan-born director Leste Chen scored a hit last year with romantic comedy Say Yes!, and also previously...
Directed by Leste Chen, the film was released last weekend in China and has so far grossed an estimated $25m. Fortissimo will handle worldwide sales on the film, excluding Hong Kong, Taiwan and South-East Asia, which will handled by Wanda’s own distribution team.
The mystery thriller, representing a new direction in genre filmmaking in China, tells the story of a renowned therapist, skilled in hypnotherapy who meets a deeply troubled patient he is unable to help. Xu Zheng (Lost In Thailand) and Karen Mok head the cast. The film was produced by Tina Shi and Wanda’s James Li and executive produced by Xu Zheng and Wanda’s Gillian Zhao.
Taiwan-born director Leste Chen scored a hit last year with romantic comedy Say Yes!, and also previously...
- 5/6/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
In a shocking move, the China Film Directors' Guild announced yesterday that it was not going to hand out awards for Best Film or Best Director because the quality of Chinese films over the past year has been so poor. The announcement was made a the 5th annual ceremony in Beijing, a star studded event where Xu Zheng was named Best Actor for No Man's Land and Tang Wei took Best Actress for Finding Mr Right.
Guild chair Feng Xiolgang told stunned nominees that the organisation is not there to entertain itself and should not simply congratulate itself but, instead, aim to set a higher standard. His remarks, however, are being seen by many as veiled criticism of the government for ongoing censorship which, among other things, led to the exclusion of Cannes hit A Touch Of Sin from this year's competition.
Despite the omission of the headline awards, there was still.
Guild chair Feng Xiolgang told stunned nominees that the organisation is not there to entertain itself and should not simply congratulate itself but, instead, aim to set a higher standard. His remarks, however, are being seen by many as veiled criticism of the government for ongoing censorship which, among other things, led to the exclusion of Cannes hit A Touch Of Sin from this year's competition.
Despite the omission of the headline awards, there was still.
- 4/10/2014
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
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