The Locarno Film Festival is set to honour filmmaker Jane Campion with the Pardo d’Onore Manor, its award for outstanding achievement in cinema.
The 77th edition of the festival will feature screenings of two of her titles selected by the director herself: An Angel At My Table (1990) and The Piano (1993), the latter presented in a new 4K restoration that will make its debut on the Piazza Grande.
The Pardo d’Onore Manor will be given to Campion on the evening of The Piano screening on August 16, and she will take part in a panel conversation the following day.
Campion...
The 77th edition of the festival will feature screenings of two of her titles selected by the director herself: An Angel At My Table (1990) and The Piano (1993), the latter presented in a new 4K restoration that will make its debut on the Piazza Grande.
The Pardo d’Onore Manor will be given to Campion on the evening of The Piano screening on August 16, and she will take part in a panel conversation the following day.
Campion...
- 4/24/2024
- ScreenDaily
When it comes to China, the discourse surrounding queer identities – like many other issues – can be placed in a gray area, on the fragile border with taboo. However, cinema is perhaps the most powerful visual medium for better understanding certain dynamics that are too often subject to useless labels and dichotomous discussions. For this reason, I have selected 12 works – including narrative feature films and documentaries – that explore and reflect on intimate queer representation. The list is presented in chronological order and includes titles from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan
1. Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) Chor Yuan
“Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan” is a 1972 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen, known for its blend of elements from martial arts and erotica. The protagonist, Ai Nu (Lily Ho), is sold to a brothel at the young age of 18. She quickly becomes the favorite of the brothel's owner,...
1. Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) Chor Yuan
“Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan” is a 1972 Hong Kong wuxia film directed by Chor Yuen, known for its blend of elements from martial arts and erotica. The protagonist, Ai Nu (Lily Ho), is sold to a brothel at the young age of 18. She quickly becomes the favorite of the brothel's owner,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Siria Falleroni
- AsianMoviePulse
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
The Beekeeper (David Ayer)
It’s the time of year for smooth-brained relaxation. Moviegoers can recover from the holidays with the comfort of knowing Gerard Butler, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham will be here to satisfy their mid-budget, action-programmer needs. Is it really the new year if one of those cherished Kings of January doesn’t appear on the release slate? There’s no Gerry or Liam, but the ever-reliable Statham dons a trucker hat and blue jeans to grit his way through David Ayer’s The Beekeeper, an overall valiant, occasionally fun attempt to take us out of Q1 doldrums. – Conor O. (full review)
Where to Stream: VOD
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (S. Craig Zahler)
S. Craig Zahler is the...
- 2/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
February––particularly its third week––is all about romance. Accordingly the Criterion Channel got creative with their monthly programming and, in a few weeks, will debut Interdimensional Romance, a series of films wherein “passion conquers time and space, age and memory, and even death and the afterlife.” For every title you might’ve guessed there’s a wilder companion: Alan Rudolph’s Made In Heaven, Soderbergh’s remake, and Resnais’ Love Unto Death. Mostly I’m excited to revisit Francis Ford Coppola’s Youth Without Youth, a likely essential viewing before Megalopolis.
February also marks Black History Month, and Criterion’s series will include work by Shirley Clarke (also subject of a standalone series), Garrett Bradley, Cheryl Dunye, and Julie Dash, while movies by Sirk, Minnelli, King Vidor, and Lang play in “Gothic Noir.” Greta Gerwig gets an “Adventures in Moviegoing” and can be seen in Mary Bronstein’s Yeast,...
February also marks Black History Month, and Criterion’s series will include work by Shirley Clarke (also subject of a standalone series), Garrett Bradley, Cheryl Dunye, and Julie Dash, while movies by Sirk, Minnelli, King Vidor, and Lang play in “Gothic Noir.” Greta Gerwig gets an “Adventures in Moviegoing” and can be seen in Mary Bronstein’s Yeast,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Jacob Wong is the Director of Hkiff Industry of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (Hkiffs). He is also the Berlin Film Festival's Delegate for Chinese-language cinemas.
On the occasion of his presence in Qcinema, we speak with him about Hkiff and its various streams, its financial and audience details, the changes the festival and cinema have undergone, his work with Berlin and Locarno, streaming services and the future of cinema, and the filmmakers he considers that stand out.
How would you describe the situation of the Hong Kong Film Festival?
The festival now has two streams officially, one stream being programming, the other stream being industry, practically the screening and all the non-screening activities. For many years, the film festival has been running some industry initiatives, the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), which is entering its 22nd edition and then there are some little things popping up once in a while.
On the occasion of his presence in Qcinema, we speak with him about Hkiff and its various streams, its financial and audience details, the changes the festival and cinema have undergone, his work with Berlin and Locarno, streaming services and the future of cinema, and the filmmakers he considers that stand out.
How would you describe the situation of the Hong Kong Film Festival?
The festival now has two streams officially, one stream being programming, the other stream being industry, practically the screening and all the non-screening activities. For many years, the film festival has been running some industry initiatives, the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), which is entering its 22nd edition and then there are some little things popping up once in a while.
- 11/29/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Rita Hollingsworth, a longtime publicist for entertainment clients and non-profit organizations, died Nov. 16 in Los Angeles. She was 61.
Her husband Jeff Hollingsworth said she had suffered a intracerebral brain hemorrhage.
When working at the Lee Solters Company, she represented clients including Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli and Neil Diamond, as well as the Carousel of Hope and Race to Erase Ms with Barbara and Nancy Davis.
After founding publicity firm Rmh Media, she worked with directors including Robert Altman, Mike Figgis, Alan Rudolph, Michael Radford, Tim Hutton and Chen Kaige, bringing their films to Cannes, Toronto, Sundance and other festivals.
Rmh also represented clients including bestselling author Reyna Grande, the Angelus Student Film Festival, the Anthony & Jeannie Pritzker Family Foundation, Foster Care Counts, artworxLA and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, where she was a key strategist for the large senior nutrition program.
Rmh Media is working with filmmaker Matthew Solomon...
Her husband Jeff Hollingsworth said she had suffered a intracerebral brain hemorrhage.
When working at the Lee Solters Company, she represented clients including Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Liza Minnelli and Neil Diamond, as well as the Carousel of Hope and Race to Erase Ms with Barbara and Nancy Davis.
After founding publicity firm Rmh Media, she worked with directors including Robert Altman, Mike Figgis, Alan Rudolph, Michael Radford, Tim Hutton and Chen Kaige, bringing their films to Cannes, Toronto, Sundance and other festivals.
Rmh also represented clients including bestselling author Reyna Grande, the Angelus Student Film Festival, the Anthony & Jeannie Pritzker Family Foundation, Foster Care Counts, artworxLA and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, where she was a key strategist for the large senior nutrition program.
Rmh Media is working with filmmaker Matthew Solomon...
- 11/28/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Rita Hollingsworth, the first-rate publicist and communications strategist who worked with the likes of Barbra Streisand, Robert Altman, Chen Kaige, the Carousel of Hope and St. Vincent Meals on Wheels over the years, has died. She was 61.
Hollingsworth died Nov. 16 of an intracerebral brain hemorrhage at Keck Hospital of USC, her husband of 37 years, Jeff Hollingsworth, told The Hollywood Reporter. The couple launched Rmh Media in 1996.
Hollingsworth cut her teeth with The Lee Solters Co., where clients included Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Barbara Davis’ Carousel of Hope and the Race to Erase Ms.
At Rmh Media, she helped bring major festival and market attention to such films as Alan Rudolph’s Afterglow (1997), Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune (1999), Michael Radford’s Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) and Chen’s Caught in the Web (2012) and Legend of the Demon Cat (2017).
Rmh also represented New York Times best-selling author Reyna Grande.
Hollingsworth died Nov. 16 of an intracerebral brain hemorrhage at Keck Hospital of USC, her husband of 37 years, Jeff Hollingsworth, told The Hollywood Reporter. The couple launched Rmh Media in 1996.
Hollingsworth cut her teeth with The Lee Solters Co., where clients included Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Barbara Davis’ Carousel of Hope and the Race to Erase Ms.
At Rmh Media, she helped bring major festival and market attention to such films as Alan Rudolph’s Afterglow (1997), Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune (1999), Michael Radford’s Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) and Chen’s Caught in the Web (2012) and Legend of the Demon Cat (2017).
Rmh also represented New York Times best-selling author Reyna Grande.
- 11/27/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Matthew Morrison (Glee) and Kara Wang (Top Gun: Maverick) have been set to star in From Embers, a dramatic thriller from writer-director Kate Bohan and Studio 6688.
Co-starring in the indie, which wrapped production under an interim agreement in October, are Kathryn Morris (Cold Case), Christopher Shyer (The Night Agent), Kayla Bohan (Harper), Alexander J. Lee, London Kim (Barry), and Omi Vaidya (3 Idiots).
The film follows the life of single mother Lily (Wang) as she grapples with the sudden loss of her husband Ron (Kim) while caring for their nine-year-old autistic son, Kevin (Lee), and forming a bond with their new alcoholic neighbor, Marty Baker (Morrison), a painter with a passion for music who works hard to create a future for his 13-year-old daughter, Chloe (Bohan).
Pic was developed and produced by Studio 6688 in partnership with Kayla’s Movies, LLC. Kate Bohan produced, with Kathleen I-Ying Lee co-producing,...
Co-starring in the indie, which wrapped production under an interim agreement in October, are Kathryn Morris (Cold Case), Christopher Shyer (The Night Agent), Kayla Bohan (Harper), Alexander J. Lee, London Kim (Barry), and Omi Vaidya (3 Idiots).
The film follows the life of single mother Lily (Wang) as she grapples with the sudden loss of her husband Ron (Kim) while caring for their nine-year-old autistic son, Kevin (Lee), and forming a bond with their new alcoholic neighbor, Marty Baker (Morrison), a painter with a passion for music who works hard to create a future for his 13-year-old daughter, Chloe (Bohan).
Pic was developed and produced by Studio 6688 in partnership with Kayla’s Movies, LLC. Kate Bohan produced, with Kathleen I-Ying Lee co-producing,...
- 11/20/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Via Vision Entertainment is excited to announce its newest media distribution expansion with the launch of Imprint Asia.
Imprint Asia will deliver ongoing releases of contemporary & classic Asian cinema across film festival, multi digital platforms, and physical media including 4K & Blu-ray for Australia and New Zealand.
Already working with some of the biggest Asian licencing partners in the market, the new brand will be launching with a host of key properties including Rui Cui's 2023 box office megahit ‘Lost In The Stars', Larry Yang's 2023 action comedy ‘Ride On' starring Jackie Chan and the 2023 Sci-Fi epic ‘The Wandering Earth II‘ starring Andy Lau.
In addition to the new release slate there will be ongoing classic releases with new restorations and extras produced for physical media collectors including Chen Kaige's ‘The Emperor and The Assassin' (1998) & ‘Farewell My Concubine' (1992), Tsui Hark's ‘The Legend of Zu' (2001), Kei Kumai...
Imprint Asia will deliver ongoing releases of contemporary & classic Asian cinema across film festival, multi digital platforms, and physical media including 4K & Blu-ray for Australia and New Zealand.
Already working with some of the biggest Asian licencing partners in the market, the new brand will be launching with a host of key properties including Rui Cui's 2023 box office megahit ‘Lost In The Stars', Larry Yang's 2023 action comedy ‘Ride On' starring Jackie Chan and the 2023 Sci-Fi epic ‘The Wandering Earth II‘ starring Andy Lau.
In addition to the new release slate there will be ongoing classic releases with new restorations and extras produced for physical media collectors including Chen Kaige's ‘The Emperor and The Assassin' (1998) & ‘Farewell My Concubine' (1992), Tsui Hark's ‘The Legend of Zu' (2001), Kei Kumai...
- 11/1/2023
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam, known for his works like ‘Roja’, ‘Bombay’, and Italian director Luca Guadagnino, who is known for ‘A Bigger Splash’, ‘Call Me By Your Name’, etc will be honoured with the ‘Excellence in Cinema’ award, here, at the Mami Mumbai Film Festival. Both the directors will attend the festival to receive this prestigious accolade, and will conduct masterclasses at the festival. It will be held at the Opening Night ceremony on October 27.
The award honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema. Previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, and Chen Kaige.
The festival will also screen Mani Ratnam’s most recent historical dramas — ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part one and two’, and Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated film ‘I Am Love’.
With a career spanning four decades, Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated directors from South Asia. Over the decades,...
The award honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema. Previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, and Chen Kaige.
The festival will also screen Mani Ratnam’s most recent historical dramas — ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part one and two’, and Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated film ‘I Am Love’.
With a career spanning four decades, Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated directors from South Asia. Over the decades,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam, known for his works like ‘Roja’, ‘Bombay’, and Italian director Luca Guadagnino, who is known for ‘A Bigger Splash’, ‘Call Me By Your Name’, etc will be honoured with the ‘Excellence in Cinema’ award, here, at the Mami Mumbai Film Festival. Both the directors will attend the festival to receive this prestigious accolade, and will conduct masterclasses at the festival. It will be held at the Opening Night ceremony on October 27.
The award honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema. Previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, and Chen Kaige.
The festival will also screen Mani Ratnam’s most recent historical dramas — ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part one and two’, and Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated film ‘I Am Love’.
With a career spanning four decades, Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated directors from South Asia. Over the decades,...
The award honours individuals who have made outstanding, long-lasting contributions to the world of film and cinema. Previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, and Chen Kaige.
The festival will also screen Mani Ratnam’s most recent historical dramas — ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part one and two’, and Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated film ‘I Am Love’.
With a career spanning four decades, Mani Ratnam is one of the most celebrated directors from South Asia. Over the decades,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Mumbai Film Fest To Honor Luca Guadagnino & Mani Ratnam
The Mumbai Film Festival will honor Luca Guadagnino and Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam at the upcoming fest, which runs from October 27 to November 5. The former will win the Excellence in Cinema Award (International) while the latter is handed the South Asian version of the same award. Both directors will attend the festival to receive their gongs and conduct masterclasses. The festival will also screen Ratnam’s recent Tamil-language historical dramas, Ponniyin Selvan: Part One & Two, and Luca Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated I Am Love. Previous receipients of Mumbai Film Festival’s Excellence in Cinema Awards include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, Jia Zhangke and Chen Kaige.
BBC Buys Denmark’s ‘Prisoner’ Starring ‘The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl
The BBC has acquired Danish drama Prisoner starring The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl. The series for national broadcaster Dr revolves around the lives...
The Mumbai Film Festival will honor Luca Guadagnino and Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam at the upcoming fest, which runs from October 27 to November 5. The former will win the Excellence in Cinema Award (International) while the latter is handed the South Asian version of the same award. Both directors will attend the festival to receive their gongs and conduct masterclasses. The festival will also screen Ratnam’s recent Tamil-language historical dramas, Ponniyin Selvan: Part One & Two, and Luca Guadagnino’s Golden Globe-nominated I Am Love. Previous receipients of Mumbai Film Festival’s Excellence in Cinema Awards include Darren Aronofsky, Sharmila Tagore, Fernando Meirelles, Jia Zhangke and Chen Kaige.
BBC Buys Denmark’s ‘Prisoner’ Starring ‘The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl
The BBC has acquired Danish drama Prisoner starring The Killing’s Sofie Gråbøl. The series for national broadcaster Dr revolves around the lives...
- 10/25/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Guadagnino’s 2009 drama ‘I Am Love’ to screen at the festival.
Indian director Mani Ratnam and Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino are to receive honorary awards at the upcoming Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
Ratnam will receive the festival’s Excellence in Cinema Award (South Asia) while Guadagnino will accept the Excellence in Cinema Award (International) during its opening night ceremony on October 27. Both will take part in discussions about their careers to date during the Jio Mami Masters sessions.
The festival will also screen Ratnam’s recent box office hits Ponniyin Selvan: Part One and Ponniyin Selvan: Part Two, and...
Indian director Mani Ratnam and Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino are to receive honorary awards at the upcoming Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
Ratnam will receive the festival’s Excellence in Cinema Award (South Asia) while Guadagnino will accept the Excellence in Cinema Award (International) during its opening night ceremony on October 27. Both will take part in discussions about their careers to date during the Jio Mami Masters sessions.
The festival will also screen Ratnam’s recent box office hits Ponniyin Selvan: Part One and Ponniyin Selvan: Part Two, and...
- 10/25/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
“Only the River Flows,” a pitch-black crime noir from auteur Wei Shujun, comfortably topped the mainland China box office on a quietish weekend.
The film, ostensibly a murder mystery, but one concerned more with atmosphere than linear plotting, earned $12.6 million (RMB90.8 million) in its opening three days, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway, or close to a third of the market.
The film had its premiere in Cannes where Variety gave it a rave review, calling it an “inventive riff on Asian-noir” and making comparisons with films by Park Chan-wook and Diao Yinan.
“Only the River Flows” has since played at a succession of festivals ever since, including New Zealand, BFI London, Vancouver, Adelaide and last week’s Pingyao event in China.
Falling to second place at the box office after three weeks on top was Zhang Yimou’s “Under the Light,” which earned $6.9 million for a four-weekend cumulative of $176 million.
The film, ostensibly a murder mystery, but one concerned more with atmosphere than linear plotting, earned $12.6 million (RMB90.8 million) in its opening three days, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway, or close to a third of the market.
The film had its premiere in Cannes where Variety gave it a rave review, calling it an “inventive riff on Asian-noir” and making comparisons with films by Park Chan-wook and Diao Yinan.
“Only the River Flows” has since played at a succession of festivals ever since, including New Zealand, BFI London, Vancouver, Adelaide and last week’s Pingyao event in China.
Falling to second place at the box office after three weeks on top was Zhang Yimou’s “Under the Light,” which earned $6.9 million for a four-weekend cumulative of $176 million.
- 10/23/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
A dearth of new release films allowed Zhang Yimou’s “Under the Light” to retain a comfortable lead at the China box office over the weekend, in its third week of release.
The contemporary crime drama film earned $13.5 million (RMB97.2 million) between Friday and Sunday, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. Since releasing on Sept. 28, it has accumulated gross revenues of $163 million (RMB1.17 billion).
Zhang will be feted with a lifetime achievement award in Japan next week, where the Tokyo International Film Festival will play his February record breaker “Full River Red,” but not “Under the Light.”
“The Volunteers: To the War,” a 1950s-set propaganda film directed by Chen Kaige, earned $9.6 million (RMB69.2 million) and rose from third to second place. It now has a cumulative of $93.2 million. Chinese comedy franchise film “The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan” took $8.8 million in its third week of release, advancing its cumulative to $123 million.
The contemporary crime drama film earned $13.5 million (RMB97.2 million) between Friday and Sunday, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. Since releasing on Sept. 28, it has accumulated gross revenues of $163 million (RMB1.17 billion).
Zhang will be feted with a lifetime achievement award in Japan next week, where the Tokyo International Film Festival will play his February record breaker “Full River Red,” but not “Under the Light.”
“The Volunteers: To the War,” a 1950s-set propaganda film directed by Chen Kaige, earned $9.6 million (RMB69.2 million) and rose from third to second place. It now has a cumulative of $93.2 million. Chinese comedy franchise film “The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan” took $8.8 million in its third week of release, advancing its cumulative to $123 million.
- 10/16/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The Zhang Yimou-directed contemporary drama film “Under the Light” retained its top spot at the mainland China box office for a second weekend, but with numbers that dropped steeply, as macro-economic weakening led to a Golden Week of across the board disappointment.
Financial media Monday reported that consumers travelled less and spent less on leisure than had been forecast, likely reflecting general economic belt tightening, high unemployment and property sector worries.
Before the holidays, cinema ticketing firm Maoyan had forecast that the first three days would throw up box office of RMB1.5 billion (208 million) and that “Under the Light” alone would reach RMB2 billion ($278 million) by the end of the eight-day holiday season (Sept. 29-Oct. 6). Those estimates proved to be highly over-optimistic.
The company now reports that the eight-day total box office amounted to Rmb 2.734 billion from ticket sales of 65.1 million.
The positive spin is that box office was...
Financial media Monday reported that consumers travelled less and spent less on leisure than had been forecast, likely reflecting general economic belt tightening, high unemployment and property sector worries.
Before the holidays, cinema ticketing firm Maoyan had forecast that the first three days would throw up box office of RMB1.5 billion (208 million) and that “Under the Light” alone would reach RMB2 billion ($278 million) by the end of the eight-day holiday season (Sept. 29-Oct. 6). Those estimates proved to be highly over-optimistic.
The company now reports that the eight-day total box office amounted to Rmb 2.734 billion from ticket sales of 65.1 million.
The positive spin is that box office was...
- 10/9/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
A clutch of Chinese movies released for the end of September holiday season dominated the global box office over the latest weekend. Mainland Chinese-produced films took first, third and fifth places across the planet, according to U.S.-based data service Comscore.
Comscore shows “Under the Light,” which released only in mainland China, grossing an estimated $54 million between Friday and Sunday. That put it ahead of Paramount’s “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” which earned an estimated $23.0 million in the North America (aka ‘domestic’) market and a further $23.1 million in the rest of the world, for a weekend total of $46.1 million.
In third place globally was another Chinese film “The Ex-Files 4: The Marriage Plan,” which released in China and five other territories for a weekend total of $41.4 million. “The Creator” earned $32.3 million across the planet, comprising an $18.3 million international score and $14 million from North America. Fifth, planetwide, was Chinese...
Comscore shows “Under the Light,” which released only in mainland China, grossing an estimated $54 million between Friday and Sunday. That put it ahead of Paramount’s “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” which earned an estimated $23.0 million in the North America (aka ‘domestic’) market and a further $23.1 million in the rest of the world, for a weekend total of $46.1 million.
In third place globally was another Chinese film “The Ex-Files 4: The Marriage Plan,” which released in China and five other territories for a weekend total of $41.4 million. “The Creator” earned $32.3 million across the planet, comprising an $18.3 million international score and $14 million from North America. Fifth, planetwide, was Chinese...
- 10/2/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
It’s turning into the year of Zhang Yimou at China’s box office. The venerable 73-year-old director’s 26th feature, crime drama Under the Light, topped ticket sales during China’s Mid-Autumn Festival holiday over the past four days, opening to $62.6 million, according to data from Artisan Gateway. This comes after Zhang’s previous feature, the historical mystery thriller Full River Red (2023), dominated China’s previous big holiday release window, the Lunar New Year in January, with a whopping $673 million tally — the country’s biggest haul this year and sixth-biggest of all time. Local ticketing app Maoyan currently forecasts Under the Light to earn between $250 million and $300 million before its run is complete, which would put Zhang close to the $1 billion mark for total ticket sales in 2023.
The Mid-Autumn Festival weekend wasn’t without some spirited competition, however. Huayi Brothers Media’s comedy franchise sequel The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan...
The Mid-Autumn Festival weekend wasn’t without some spirited competition, however. Huayi Brothers Media’s comedy franchise sequel The Ex-Files 4: Marriage Plan...
- 10/2/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update: Here we are with a sort of hybrid weekend at the international box office: there were fresh entries from the Hollywood studios, as well as major new titles timed to holiday play in local markets, and a holdover that’s continuing to rack up records.
On the studio side, Paramount/Spin Master’s Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie took top dog status in its expanded rollout. The family title had, last week, released in Australia and New Zealand before adding 43 offshore markets this session for a total $23.1M to date overseas. The global start is $46.1M.
Word of mouth is strong with these pups, who are out in just 53% of the international marketplace to date. On a like-for-like basis including previews, the overseas opening result is 70% ahead of Paw Patrol: The Movie, giving this Cal Brunker-directed title the best opening for the franchise.
Amid heavy competition, but also with praise from local media,...
On the studio side, Paramount/Spin Master’s Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie took top dog status in its expanded rollout. The family title had, last week, released in Australia and New Zealand before adding 43 offshore markets this session for a total $23.1M to date overseas. The global start is $46.1M.
Word of mouth is strong with these pups, who are out in just 53% of the international marketplace to date. On a like-for-like basis including previews, the overseas opening result is 70% ahead of Paw Patrol: The Movie, giving this Cal Brunker-directed title the best opening for the franchise.
Amid heavy competition, but also with praise from local media,...
- 10/1/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney/Marvel’s The Marvels has secured a China release on November 10, day-and-date with North America. The sequel to the $1 billion+ worldwide grossing Captain Marvel is the latest major studio tentpole to be granted access to the market since Oppenheimer went out August 30. It’s also wasting no time in spreading the word locally, leveraging the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day/Golden Week celebrations across the next week.
Marvel titles, as with many Hollywood movies in the post-pandemic era, have seen soft returns in the once highly lucrative market as the local industry has bulked up and audience tastes turned more inward. What’s more, films with Marvel characters were also unofficially banned for a three-and-a-half year period until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was granted a release in February, months after its rollout elsewhere. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania followed (in step with the rest of international rollout), grossing a little over $39M,...
Marvel titles, as with many Hollywood movies in the post-pandemic era, have seen soft returns in the once highly lucrative market as the local industry has bulked up and audience tastes turned more inward. What’s more, films with Marvel characters were also unofficially banned for a three-and-a-half year period until Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was granted a release in February, months after its rollout elsewhere. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania followed (in step with the rest of international rollout), grossing a little over $39M,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Upcoming titles handled by Embankment, Protagonist, Goodfellas and Studiocanal to receive a share of production funding.
Screen Australia is to allocate more than Aud$10m ($6.4m) of production funding to a raft of upcoming film and TV projects.
The national screen body will support six features including Sophie Hyde’s An Ideal Woman, starring Emilia Clarke; Dario Russo’s The Fox, starring Jai Courtney and from the producers of horror hit Talk to Me; and Charles Williams’ Inside, starring Guy Pearce. Further films to receive a share of the funding include David Vincent Smith drama He Ain’t Heavy, John Sheedy...
Screen Australia is to allocate more than Aud$10m ($6.4m) of production funding to a raft of upcoming film and TV projects.
The national screen body will support six features including Sophie Hyde’s An Ideal Woman, starring Emilia Clarke; Dario Russo’s The Fox, starring Jai Courtney and from the producers of horror hit Talk to Me; and Charles Williams’ Inside, starring Guy Pearce. Further films to receive a share of the funding include David Vincent Smith drama He Ain’t Heavy, John Sheedy...
- 9/25/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The latest film from the director of ‘Farewell My Concubine’ will be released in China in late September.
Fortissimo Films has secured international rights to Chinese war epic The Volunteers: To The War by Chen Kaige, the acclaimed director of Farewell My Concubine and The Battle At Lake Changjin.
The Amsterdam and Beijing-based sales company will launch sales on the feature at the Asian Contents and Film Market in Busan next month, following its release in China on September 28. The international sales agreement excludes North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The film, previously known as The Great War, is the...
Fortissimo Films has secured international rights to Chinese war epic The Volunteers: To The War by Chen Kaige, the acclaimed director of Farewell My Concubine and The Battle At Lake Changjin.
The Amsterdam and Beijing-based sales company will launch sales on the feature at the Asian Contents and Film Market in Busan next month, following its release in China on September 28. The international sales agreement excludes North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The film, previously known as The Great War, is the...
- 9/25/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Chinese director Bi Gan, whose 2018 film “Long Day’s Journey into Night” played at Cannes, will next direct “Resurrection.” The ambitious sci-fi detective movie is to be headlined by Chinese superstar Jackson Yee (“Better Days”) and actor Shu Qi (“The Assassin”) who sits on this year’s Venice jury.
Boasting Bi’s edgy aesthetic and narrative style, the film tells the story of a woman whose consciousness falls into the “eternal time zone” during a surgical procedure. Trapped in many dreams, she finds an android corpse and tries to wake it up by telling endless stories. The android then wanders within her stories and its senses gradually awaken.
Charles Gillibert’s CG Cinema will again co-produce the project. Bi is finishing the script and plans to shoot later this year.
“Resurrection” will be lensed by Dong Jingsong, whose credits include “Long Day’s Journey into Night” and “The Wild Goose Lake.”
The...
Boasting Bi’s edgy aesthetic and narrative style, the film tells the story of a woman whose consciousness falls into the “eternal time zone” during a surgical procedure. Trapped in many dreams, she finds an android corpse and tries to wake it up by telling endless stories. The android then wanders within her stories and its senses gradually awaken.
Charles Gillibert’s CG Cinema will again co-produce the project. Bi is finishing the script and plans to shoot later this year.
“Resurrection” will be lensed by Dong Jingsong, whose credits include “Long Day’s Journey into Night” and “The Wild Goose Lake.”
The...
- 9/6/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Indie studios IFC Films and Neon are facing off with the hopes of one of their films being selected as France’s official submission to the Oscars for the international feature film prize.
Neon aims to position Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall” as the best option for the country. IFC is making its case for “The Taste of Things” from French-Vietnamese filmmaker Trần Anh Hùn, who won the director prize at Cannes. Both films have eerily similar credentials as they seek to represent the Gallic state at the 95th annual Academy Awards.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
The courtroom drama “Anatomy” was announced as part of the Telluride program, where all four of its screenings were sold out, with dozens of patrons being turned away. “Taste” was not part of the festival’s initial slate announcement. It was one...
Neon aims to position Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall” as the best option for the country. IFC is making its case for “The Taste of Things” from French-Vietnamese filmmaker Trần Anh Hùn, who won the director prize at Cannes. Both films have eerily similar credentials as they seek to represent the Gallic state at the 95th annual Academy Awards.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
The courtroom drama “Anatomy” was announced as part of the Telluride program, where all four of its screenings were sold out, with dozens of patrons being turned away. “Taste” was not part of the festival’s initial slate announcement. It was one...
- 9/4/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The bread and butter of film festivals is the unveiling of new movies. And in the case of the major festivals taking place in the late summer and early fall — Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York — the selections offer a preview of potential Oscar nominees and winners. Remember the eight-minute standing ovation Brendan Fraser received last year at Venice for “The Whale”? It kicked off his comeback and journey to a best Oscar win this year.
And with the 50th annual Telluride Film Festival kicking off August 31 at in the picturesque Colorado mountain burg, let’s take the cinematic time machine back 1993 when the fest was a mere 20 years old. John Boorman of “Deliverance” and “Hope and Glory” fame was the guest director of the festival. Jennifer Jason Leigh, then just 31 and whose latest film was Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” was honored with a tribute as was socialist British director Ken Loach,...
And with the 50th annual Telluride Film Festival kicking off August 31 at in the picturesque Colorado mountain burg, let’s take the cinematic time machine back 1993 when the fest was a mere 20 years old. John Boorman of “Deliverance” and “Hope and Glory” fame was the guest director of the festival. Jennifer Jason Leigh, then just 31 and whose latest film was Robert Altman’s “Short Cuts,” was honored with a tribute as was socialist British director Ken Loach,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Leslie Cheung, a luminary of Hong Kong's golden era of the 80s and 90s, stands out as one of its most gifted representatives. Revered globally as both an actor and a singer, he holds a position as one of the forefathers of Cantopop, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
Cheung's brilliance transcended geographical boundaries, captivating admirers in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. Notably, his pivotal role in John Woo's “A Better Tomorrow” marked a turning point, propelling his acting career to new heights. Subsequent collaborations with esteemed directors such as Chen Kaige and Wong Kar Wai propelled him to international stardom.
Eventually, his name figured in the first place on the list of the most favorite actors in the 100 years of Chinese cinema, in the third of the Most Iconic Musicians of All Time, and CNN considered him the Most Beautiful Man from Hong Kong...
Cheung's brilliance transcended geographical boundaries, captivating admirers in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. Notably, his pivotal role in John Woo's “A Better Tomorrow” marked a turning point, propelling his acting career to new heights. Subsequent collaborations with esteemed directors such as Chen Kaige and Wong Kar Wai propelled him to international stardom.
Eventually, his name figured in the first place on the list of the most favorite actors in the 100 years of Chinese cinema, in the third of the Most Iconic Musicians of All Time, and CNN considered him the Most Beautiful Man from Hong Kong...
- 8/27/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Hong Kong-based producer Tsui Hark has boarded the ship as partner and co-producer of the Chinese pirate epic Shih, Queen of the Sea. Hark will partner with Anthony McCarten, Dakota Group and Facing East.
McCarten, whose biopic scripts range from Bohemian Rhapsody to The Theory of Everything, The Two Popes, Darkest Hour and numerous others, has here written the script about Shih Yang, aka Cheng I Sao, who dominated the South China Sea during the Qing Dynasty. Born into poverty, she worked on a “flower boat” brothel where she met the notorious pirate leader Cheng Yi, joining him at sea. Upon his death in 1807, she assumed full command of the fearsome Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and an estimated 80,000 pirates. By comparison, Blackbeard commanded four ships and 300 pirates within the same century. Shih instigated sweeping reforms to the rules of piracy, ordering execution for rape or marital...
McCarten, whose biopic scripts range from Bohemian Rhapsody to The Theory of Everything, The Two Popes, Darkest Hour and numerous others, has here written the script about Shih Yang, aka Cheng I Sao, who dominated the South China Sea during the Qing Dynasty. Born into poverty, she worked on a “flower boat” brothel where she met the notorious pirate leader Cheng Yi, joining him at sea. Upon his death in 1807, she assumed full command of the fearsome Red Flag Fleet, commanding over 1,800 pirate ships and an estimated 80,000 pirates. By comparison, Blackbeard commanded four ships and 300 pirates within the same century. Shih instigated sweeping reforms to the rules of piracy, ordering execution for rape or marital...
- 8/23/2023
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The Toronto Film Festival has unveiled its Wavelengths program for artist-driven experimental work that includes films by avant garde directors Denis Côté, Radu Jude, the late Chantal Akerman and Wang Bing.
There’s selections for Isiah Medina’s He Thought He Died, an experimental heist film; Angela Schanelec’s Music, a retelling of the Oedipus myth; and Denis Côté’s Mademoiselle Kenopsia, which stars Larissa Corriveau and will first bow at the Locarno Film Festival.
Wavelengths also booked fiction debuts with Rosine Mbakam’s Mambar Pierrette, a portrait of a Cameroonian seamstress; and Phạm Thiên Ân’s Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, the Vietnamese director’s hypnotic first feature about a man haunted by past memories when returning to his hometown that picked up the Caméra d’Or in Cannes.
“The increasing necessity to support artists willing to take risks, break rules and challenge the status quo — especially in our over-saturated media landscape — bears repeating,...
There’s selections for Isiah Medina’s He Thought He Died, an experimental heist film; Angela Schanelec’s Music, a retelling of the Oedipus myth; and Denis Côté’s Mademoiselle Kenopsia, which stars Larissa Corriveau and will first bow at the Locarno Film Festival.
Wavelengths also booked fiction debuts with Rosine Mbakam’s Mambar Pierrette, a portrait of a Cameroonian seamstress; and Phạm Thiên Ân’s Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell, the Vietnamese director’s hypnotic first feature about a man haunted by past memories when returning to his hometown that picked up the Caméra d’Or in Cannes.
“The increasing necessity to support artists willing to take risks, break rules and challenge the status quo — especially in our over-saturated media landscape — bears repeating,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A 4K uncut restoration of Chen Kaige’s 1993 Palme d’Or winner “Farewell My Concubine” is a highlight of the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) Classics strand while Jean-Luc Godard’s last film will feature in Wavelengths.
The Classics strand also includes Canadian producer-director Brigitte Berman’s Oscar-winning feature documentary “Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got” (1985), portraying the life of the clarinettist and bandleader, and, after decades of oblivion Jacques Rivette’s New Wave classic “L’amour fou” (1969), whose original celluloid elements were damaged in a fire. A 50th anniversary screening of “Touki Bouki” (1973), from Sengal’s Djibril Diop Mambéty and Ousmane Sembène’s “Xala” (1975), presented in 4K, complete the program. Classics is curated by Robyn Citizen, director of programming and platform lead, with contributions from Andréa Picard.
The Wavelengths strand has 12 feature films and 19 shorts, as well as a suite of four restored early films by...
The Classics strand also includes Canadian producer-director Brigitte Berman’s Oscar-winning feature documentary “Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got” (1985), portraying the life of the clarinettist and bandleader, and, after decades of oblivion Jacques Rivette’s New Wave classic “L’amour fou” (1969), whose original celluloid elements were damaged in a fire. A 50th anniversary screening of “Touki Bouki” (1973), from Sengal’s Djibril Diop Mambéty and Ousmane Sembène’s “Xala” (1975), presented in 4K, complete the program. Classics is curated by Robyn Citizen, director of programming and platform lead, with contributions from Andréa Picard.
The Wavelengths strand has 12 feature films and 19 shorts, as well as a suite of four restored early films by...
- 8/11/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The Toronto International Film Festival has announced this year’s Wavelengths and Classics sidebars, the former section known for its politically charged, geographically diverse fare with a wide range of work drawn from the worlds of documentary, contemporary art, and international art-house cinema.
Wavelengths this year counts 12 feature films and 19 shorts, as well as a suite of four restored early films by the singular Chantal Akerman.
Of note in the Wavelengths short section, North American audiences will finally get to see Jean-Luc Godard’s swan song short, Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars, which played Cannes this past spring.
Another highlight in the Classics sidebar is the 4K uncut restoration of Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, the only movie from China to win the Palme d’Or. The original film had 20 minutes cut by then Miramax Boss Harvey Weinstein much to the chagrin of jury...
Wavelengths this year counts 12 feature films and 19 shorts, as well as a suite of four restored early films by the singular Chantal Akerman.
Of note in the Wavelengths short section, North American audiences will finally get to see Jean-Luc Godard’s swan song short, Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars, which played Cannes this past spring.
Another highlight in the Classics sidebar is the 4K uncut restoration of Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine, the only movie from China to win the Palme d’Or. The original film had 20 minutes cut by then Miramax Boss Harvey Weinstein much to the chagrin of jury...
- 8/11/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The Toronto International Film Festival has added an additional 17 films to its 2023 lineup, with the new entries the work of a variety of bold international directors, from Radu Jude and Kleber Mendonca Filho to the late Jean-Luc Godard and Chantal Akerman.
The Wavelength section contains 12 features, two films paired in a single program and 19 shorts grouped in three separate programs. It is devoted to “artist-driven experimental films,” in the words of TIFF Chief Programming Officer Anita Lee. “Wavelengths continues to be a celebration of subversion, personal expression, and the vast, inexhaustible capabilities of cinema to enlighten, inspire, awe, resist, disrupt, and propose new ways of seeing and being in the world.”
Films in the section include “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World” from the fiery Romanian satirist Radu Jude, “Here” from Belgian director Bas Devos,” the “Oedipus” retelling “Music” from Angela Schanelec, Brazilian Kleber Mendonca...
The Wavelength section contains 12 features, two films paired in a single program and 19 shorts grouped in three separate programs. It is devoted to “artist-driven experimental films,” in the words of TIFF Chief Programming Officer Anita Lee. “Wavelengths continues to be a celebration of subversion, personal expression, and the vast, inexhaustible capabilities of cinema to enlighten, inspire, awe, resist, disrupt, and propose new ways of seeing and being in the world.”
Films in the section include “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World” from the fiery Romanian satirist Radu Jude, “Here” from Belgian director Bas Devos,” the “Oedipus” retelling “Music” from Angela Schanelec, Brazilian Kleber Mendonca...
- 8/11/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Premiering 30 years ago this year, Chen Kaige’s enchanting, Palme d’Or-winning, and Oscar-nominated drama Farewell My Concubine is finally returning in its original cut, stunningly restored in 4K. Starring Leslie Cheung, Fengyi Zhang, and Gong Li, the drama was cut by 20 minutes after Harvey Scissorhands had his way with it. Now restored to its original glory and set for a September 22 release beginning at Film Forum from Film Movement Classics, the new trailer has arrived.
Here’s the synopsis: “In Chen Kaige’s adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the students to instill in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal techniques of this ancient art. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features,...
Here’s the synopsis: “In Chen Kaige’s adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the students to instill in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal techniques of this ancient art. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features,...
- 8/8/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Fifth-generation Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige’s “Farewell My Concubine” wowed the Cannes jury under president Louis Malle in 1993 — all the way to a Palme d’Or win. But by the time the three-hour epic set in the world of the Peking Opera reached U.S. theaters that year, Miramax’s Harvey Weinstein had cut 20 minutes from the movie that left even Malle puzzled. According to Peter Biskind‘s influential “Down and Dirty Pictures,” Malle said the new version seemed “longer because it doesn’t make any sense. It was better before those guys made cuts.”
At last, “Farewell My Concubine,” the only Chinese-language film ever to win the Palme, is now being returned to theaters in its full 171-minute glory, courtesy of Film Movement Classics. IndieWire exclusively announces that the distributor will release a newly restored 4K version in North American theaters beginning September 22 at Film Forum in New York City.
At last, “Farewell My Concubine,” the only Chinese-language film ever to win the Palme, is now being returned to theaters in its full 171-minute glory, courtesy of Film Movement Classics. IndieWire exclusively announces that the distributor will release a newly restored 4K version in North American theaters beginning September 22 at Film Forum in New York City.
- 8/3/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
In the realm of Chinese independent cinema, the weight of influence can be felt as heavily as the often capricious and inscrutable government censorship system. Unique among the most significant new waves across the cinematic world, mainland China possesses both a definable new wave in the form of the vaunted Fifth Generation, whose luminaries included Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, and an equally clear countermovement in the form of the Sixth Generation, which comprised Jia Zhang-ke and Wang Xiaoshuai, among others.
Broadly speaking, the Sixth Generation filmmakers responded to the Fifth Generation’s fondness for florid aesthetic style, period pieces, and melodramatic narratives by embracing more rough-hewn, neorealist productions shot on the fly in contemporary China. While Chinese cinema has perhaps not reached the same level of (relatively) mainstream ubiquity as it possessed during the Fifth Generation’s reign in the late 1980s and early ’90s, it’s arguably the...
Broadly speaking, the Sixth Generation filmmakers responded to the Fifth Generation’s fondness for florid aesthetic style, period pieces, and melodramatic narratives by embracing more rough-hewn, neorealist productions shot on the fly in contemporary China. While Chinese cinema has perhaps not reached the same level of (relatively) mainstream ubiquity as it possessed during the Fifth Generation’s reign in the late 1980s and early ’90s, it’s arguably the...
- 7/20/2023
- by Ryan Swen
- Slant Magazine
One of the biggest moments in the film industry every year is that in which the coveted Palme d’Or is handed over to the director of the Canne Film Festival’s best film. As it happens, sometimes it’s not handed but rather chucked, as this is exactly what happened at the 76th Cannes Film Festival when Jane Fonda presented the award to director Justine Triet for her film Anatomy of a Fall.
In a video that would go viral if TikTok users knew what the Cannes Film Festival was, Jane Fonda is seen trying to get the attention of Justine Triet, who left the Palme d’Or scroll at the podium. Despite her efforts, Triet is either too wrapped up in the moment or the crowd is too loud to notice, and so Fonda tosses it directly at her head. While the crowd does seem to laugh, one...
In a video that would go viral if TikTok users knew what the Cannes Film Festival was, Jane Fonda is seen trying to get the attention of Justine Triet, who left the Palme d’Or scroll at the podium. Despite her efforts, Triet is either too wrapped up in the moment or the crowd is too loud to notice, and so Fonda tosses it directly at her head. While the crowd does seem to laugh, one...
- 5/28/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Yao Chen and Cao Yu forged very different paths on their way to success in the Chinese film industry, but after 20 years of work each, they sat down for a chat about where their careers were headed, and they came to the same conclusion.
“We’d reached a similar stage in life,” explains Yao. “We were reflecting on certain work, certain issues of our own. We decided when it comes to genres, we wanted to have a more diversified, more colorful palette. All our projects now center on the predicament that human beings face — we are interested in exploring the difficult choices that people face.”
Partners already in life, Yao and Cao became partners in film by establishing the Bad Rabbit Pictures production house, with Yao drawing on the experience gained from an acting career that has brought acclaim for her television roles that have arguably cemented her as China’s most popular star,...
“We’d reached a similar stage in life,” explains Yao. “We were reflecting on certain work, certain issues of our own. We decided when it comes to genres, we wanted to have a more diversified, more colorful palette. All our projects now center on the predicament that human beings face — we are interested in exploring the difficult choices that people face.”
Partners already in life, Yao and Cao became partners in film by establishing the Bad Rabbit Pictures production house, with Yao drawing on the experience gained from an acting career that has brought acclaim for her television roles that have arguably cemented her as China’s most popular star,...
- 5/18/2023
- by Mathew Scott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Leading Chinese film director Chen Kaige is poised to shoot historical epic “Swan Song” as his next feature movie. It will focus on 18th century classical music composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky through critical failure, persecution for his sexuality and a mysterious death during the strife of the soon-to-collapse Russian Empire.
Moonstone Entertainment will launch pre-sales on the film at Cannes later this month. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2024 and early 2025 in the Baltics.
“Swan Song” was written by Shahar Stroh, who will also produce alongside Moonstone principal Etchie Stroh. Corporate credits go Moonstone Entertainment and Strohberry Films.
“The story of ‘Swan Song’ goes beyond the music of one man. It is about the perpetual struggle of beauty and love against darkness and hate, and I am excited to be bringing it to a global audience,” said Chen in prepared comments. “Creating a visually stunning and compelling story, paired with Tchaikovsky’s timeless music,...
Moonstone Entertainment will launch pre-sales on the film at Cannes later this month. Production is scheduled to begin in late 2024 and early 2025 in the Baltics.
“Swan Song” was written by Shahar Stroh, who will also produce alongside Moonstone principal Etchie Stroh. Corporate credits go Moonstone Entertainment and Strohberry Films.
“The story of ‘Swan Song’ goes beyond the music of one man. It is about the perpetual struggle of beauty and love against darkness and hate, and I am excited to be bringing it to a global audience,” said Chen in prepared comments. “Creating a visually stunning and compelling story, paired with Tchaikovsky’s timeless music,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Patrick Frater and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
In the article series Sound and Vision we take a look at music videos from notable directors. This week we look at Duran Duran's Do You Believe in Shame?, directed by Chen Kaige. Chen Kaige is a director mostly known for stagey and stately melodramatic period pieces, like Farewell My Concubine, which won him the Palme D'Or in Cannes. Often his films are set in his native China, exploring themes of family and love in lush settings. Later, more spectacular films like The Promise and Battle of Lake Changjin 1 and 2 infuse his style with more action. One thing Chen Kaige isn't associated with is American films, probably because of the humongous flop of his erotic thriller Killing Them Softly; or a modern day...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/1/2023
- Screen Anarchy
The lineup for the 76th installment of the Cannes Film Festival has finally been announced. Nineteen films will be competing to take home the prestigious Palme d’Or, including a record six films helmed by women. The festival will be taking place in the French Riviera from May 16 to May 27. This year’s jury will be headed by Ruben Östlund, who won his second Palme d’Or last year for “Triangle of Sadness.”
Knowing a filmmaker’s previous track record at Cannes can sometimes help give an idea as to who might be in the best position to claim the Palme. For instance, five of this year’s entries come from directors who have previously won the Palme. Another five are from auteurs who have had previous films win a prize in the main competition other than the Palme. Another five are from directors having their first film screen in the main competition.
Knowing a filmmaker’s previous track record at Cannes can sometimes help give an idea as to who might be in the best position to claim the Palme. For instance, five of this year’s entries come from directors who have previously won the Palme. Another five are from auteurs who have had previous films win a prize in the main competition other than the Palme. Another five are from directors having their first film screen in the main competition.
- 4/17/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
As far as 1990s dreamgirls go, Heather Graham was at the top of the list for many of us. An ageless beauty who looks the same as she did twenty-five years ago, Graham has one of the most interesting careers of the era. Having started as the love interest in the Corey Haim/Corey Feldman teen cult classic Licence to Drive, she quickly established her serious acting chops in 1989’s Drugstore Cowboy. The movie helped launch her as an indie “It girl,” with her landing memorable roles on Twin Peaks (and the Fire Walk With Me movie), Six Degrees of Separation and more. She had a unique role as the object of Jon Favreau’s affections in Swingers but then hit the big time with her iconic part as Rollergirl in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights.
This movie led to her getting a lot of big roles in the years that followed,...
This movie led to her getting a lot of big roles in the years that followed,...
- 3/10/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Chinese director, screenwriter and producer He Ping, best known internationally for his hybrid ‘Chinese Westerns’, has died aged 65. Local press reported that he died of illness in Beijing on January 10.
He Ping was well known on the international film festival circuit and was one of the first Chinese filmmakers to work with a U.S. studio, directing Warriors Of Heaven And Earth with backing from the now defunct Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia (Cpfpa) in 2003. Similar to two award-winning films he made in the 1990s, the film was shot in the Western deserts of China and combined elements of classic Westerns and Chinese wuxia (swordplay) movies.
Born in Shanxi province, He started his career in the 1980s, initially directing stage productions and documentaries, and later transferring to the state-owned Xian Film Studio, where acclaimed directors such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige had also started their careers. His early fiction...
He Ping was well known on the international film festival circuit and was one of the first Chinese filmmakers to work with a U.S. studio, directing Warriors Of Heaven And Earth with backing from the now defunct Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia (Cpfpa) in 2003. Similar to two award-winning films he made in the 1990s, the film was shot in the Western deserts of China and combined elements of classic Westerns and Chinese wuxia (swordplay) movies.
Born in Shanxi province, He started his career in the 1980s, initially directing stage productions and documentaries, and later transferring to the state-owned Xian Film Studio, where acclaimed directors such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige had also started their careers. His early fiction...
- 1/12/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Chloe Bailey Boards AGC Studio’s Wall Street Drama ‘Midas Touch’
Musician and actor Chloe Bailey (Grown-ish) has signed on to star in the Wall Street drama Midas Touch from AGC Studios. The flick follows the true story of Lauren Simmons, the youngest equity trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and only the second African American woman to hold that position. Bailey will star as Simmons in the pic, which will be directed by Numa Perrier (The Perfect Find). Simmons is an executive producer on the film, as are AGC’s Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, and Glendon Palmer. CAA negotiated on behalf of Bailey and AGC’s SVP of Legal & Business Affairs, Anant Tamirisa, and Palmer negotiated on behalf of AGC.
‘The Pact’ Producer Little Door Expands With Drama Hires
The Welsh indie behind BBC drama The Pact, Little Door Productions, has hired Sherlock and Baker...
Musician and actor Chloe Bailey (Grown-ish) has signed on to star in the Wall Street drama Midas Touch from AGC Studios. The flick follows the true story of Lauren Simmons, the youngest equity trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and only the second African American woman to hold that position. Bailey will star as Simmons in the pic, which will be directed by Numa Perrier (The Perfect Find). Simmons is an executive producer on the film, as are AGC’s Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, and Glendon Palmer. CAA negotiated on behalf of Bailey and AGC’s SVP of Legal & Business Affairs, Anant Tamirisa, and Palmer negotiated on behalf of AGC.
‘The Pact’ Producer Little Door Expands With Drama Hires
The Welsh indie behind BBC drama The Pact, Little Door Productions, has hired Sherlock and Baker...
- 11/15/2022
- by Zac Ntim, Jesse Whittock and Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
This story about the best international film schools first appeared in the College Issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
Australian Film, Television And Radio School
Sydney, Australia
“Aftrs was perfect because it was…practical,” says songwriter Christine Kirkwood, who graduated from Australia’s national screen and broadcast school after a six-month government program to train women in filmmaking. Her fellow alums include Gillian Armstrong and Phillip Noyce, who were in the school’s first graduating class in 1973, as well as Jane Campion, Cate Shortland and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. Located near the Fox Studios in Sydney, the campus includes studios, post-production facilities and an extensive library.
Aftrs has a robust First Nations and Outreach program for indigenous students, and in early 2023 a new partnership with Industrial Light & Magic will allow the school to begin offering a two-semester Graduate Diploma in Visual Effects program. Other new offerings include a Screen Warriors program that will recruit,...
Australian Film, Television And Radio School
Sydney, Australia
“Aftrs was perfect because it was…practical,” says songwriter Christine Kirkwood, who graduated from Australia’s national screen and broadcast school after a six-month government program to train women in filmmaking. Her fellow alums include Gillian Armstrong and Phillip Noyce, who were in the school’s first graduating class in 1973, as well as Jane Campion, Cate Shortland and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. Located near the Fox Studios in Sydney, the campus includes studios, post-production facilities and an extensive library.
Aftrs has a robust First Nations and Outreach program for indigenous students, and in early 2023 a new partnership with Industrial Light & Magic will allow the school to begin offering a two-semester Graduate Diploma in Visual Effects program. Other new offerings include a Screen Warriors program that will recruit,...
- 11/2/2022
- by TheWrap Staff
- The Wrap
Danny Yung is an experimental art pioneer and one of Hong Kong’s most influential artists. He is a founding member and co-artistic director of Zuni Icosahedron. In the past 40 years, Yung has been working extensively in diverse fields of arts, including theatre, cartoon, film, video as well as visual and installation art. In the span of his 50-year artistic profession, Yung has been involved in over 100 theatre productions as director, scriptwriter, producer and/or stage designer. His theatre works were staged in multiple cities across the world, including Tokyo, Yokohama, Toga, Singapore, Jakarta, Taipei, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Brussels, Berlin, Munich, Hannover, London, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Dubai and New York. The artist keeps a close eye on the arts and cultural policy and on education development in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region. He currently serves as chairman of the Hong Kong–Taipei–Shenzhen–Shanghai City-to-City Cultural Exchange Conference and is...
- 10/6/2022
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
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Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will open with a full red carpet for the first time in three years as the event looks to bounce back from two relatively subdued editions held during the pandemic.
Fest chairman Hiroyasu Ando said at a line-up press conference that he expected around 100 overseas guests and participants to attend. A very limited number of visitors made the trip for the last two events.
Japan’s government has kept tighter restrictions on its borders for longer than most other countries and a daily limit of 50,000 inbound travellers currently remains in place. Further loosening is expected by the time the fest unspools, with a parliamentary discussion on border controls set for tomorrow.
TIFF will also revive the Kurosawa Akira Award, given to filmmakers for contributions to global cinema, after a hiatus of 14 years. Previous recipients include Steven Spielberg, Yamada Yoji and Chen Kaige.
Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will open with a full red carpet for the first time in three years as the event looks to bounce back from two relatively subdued editions held during the pandemic.
Fest chairman Hiroyasu Ando said at a line-up press conference that he expected around 100 overseas guests and participants to attend. A very limited number of visitors made the trip for the last two events.
Japan’s government has kept tighter restrictions on its borders for longer than most other countries and a daily limit of 50,000 inbound travellers currently remains in place. Further loosening is expected by the time the fest unspools, with a parliamentary discussion on border controls set for tomorrow.
TIFF will also revive the Kurosawa Akira Award, given to filmmakers for contributions to global cinema, after a hiatus of 14 years. Previous recipients include Steven Spielberg, Yamada Yoji and Chen Kaige.
- 9/21/2022
- by Gavin Blair
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Festival will also host tributes to Taiwan’s Tsai Ming-liang and late director Shinji Aoyama.
US director Julie Taymor is to preside over the international competition jury of Tokyo International Film Festival, which has also announced plans to revive the Akira Kurosawa Award and host tribute screenings to Taiwan’s Tsai Ming-liang and late Japanese director Shinji Aoyama.
The festival has unveiled highlights of its 35th edition, which will run October 24 to November 2, ahead of the announcement of its full line up on September 21.
Taymor is known for directing features such as Frida, Titus, Across The Universe and The Glorias...
US director Julie Taymor is to preside over the international competition jury of Tokyo International Film Festival, which has also announced plans to revive the Akira Kurosawa Award and host tribute screenings to Taiwan’s Tsai Ming-liang and late Japanese director Shinji Aoyama.
The festival has unveiled highlights of its 35th edition, which will run October 24 to November 2, ahead of the announcement of its full line up on September 21.
Taymor is known for directing features such as Frida, Titus, Across The Universe and The Glorias...
- 9/16/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Ye Lanqiu (Gao Yuanyuan) is a beautiful and successful young woman who, as the film opens, is diagnosed with an advanced lymphatic cancer that requires immediate treatment. Numb with shock, Lanqiu sits on a crowded city bus, hiding behind large sunglasses and completely oblivious to what is happening around her, not even registering the conductor’s persistent request that she give up her seat for an elderly pensioner. This moment of perceived incivility is recorded on a mobile phone by an assistant to journalist Chen Ruoxi (Yao Chen), and the zealous reporter quickly decides to go viral with the video, flooding the web with the footage of the callous “Sunglass Girl”. The video triggers a massive internet hate-mail campaign against the already stricken Lanqiu, and heralds even more catastrophes in both her personal and professional life. But fate is not yet finished with Lanqiu, and the chaotic course she has been unjustly set upon will,...
- 6/9/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Disney release “Eternals” continued to rule the U.K. and Ireland box office for the second weekend in succession with £2.9 million ($3.9 million), according to numbers released by Comscore.
The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, now has a total of £10.5 million after two weekends.
James Bond film “No Time to Die,” from Universal, continued its blockbuster business with £1.5 million in second position after seven weekends and now has a mighty total of £92.7 million.
In its fourth weekend, Warner Bros.’ epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” placed third with £1.17 and has now grossed £18.9 million.
Eros STX’s Princess Diana film “Spencer,” starring Kristen Stewart, collected £698,065 in its second weekend in fourth place and now has a total of £1.5 million.
Rounding off the top five was Universal’s “The Boss Baby: Family Business,” which collected £574,219 in its fourth weekend and has a total of £6.4 million.
The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, now has a total of £10.5 million after two weekends.
James Bond film “No Time to Die,” from Universal, continued its blockbuster business with £1.5 million in second position after seven weekends and now has a mighty total of £92.7 million.
In its fourth weekend, Warner Bros.’ epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” placed third with £1.17 and has now grossed £18.9 million.
Eros STX’s Princess Diana film “Spencer,” starring Kristen Stewart, collected £698,065 in its second weekend in fourth place and now has a total of £1.5 million.
Rounding off the top five was Universal’s “The Boss Baby: Family Business,” which collected £574,219 in its fourth weekend and has a total of £6.4 million.
- 11/16/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
"We can't just die here!" Cmc Pictures has debuted an official US Trailer for the upcoming US release this month of the Chinese epic war movie The Battle at Lake Changjin, which has already been heralded in China as their highest grossing movie of all time in the country. Set during the Second Phase Offensive of the Korean War, The Battle at Lake Changjin movie tells an epic historical tale: 71 years ago, the People's Volunteer Army (Pva) entered North Korea for battle. Under extreme freezing conditions, the troops on the Eastern Front pursued with fearless spirit and iron will, as they courageously fought against the enemy at Lake Changjin (also known as Chosin Reservoir) - which was the US Army. The battle was a turning point in the Korean War and demonstrated the courage and resolve of the Pva. It's co-directed by a trio of iconic Chinese filmmakers: Kaige Chen & Dante Lam & Tsui Hark.
- 11/10/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Release of Chen Kaige’s Korean war film The Battle At Lake Changjin also being delayed.
Organisers have postponed Beijing International Film Festival (Bjiff) according to reports due to a surge in the Delta variant across parts of China.
The 11th edition of the festival was scheduled to run in-person from August 14-21 and recently announced the 15-strong Tiantan Awards international competition. Gong Li was announced as chairman of the international jury.
Bjiff typically takes place in April and was postponed last year due to the pandemic. Organisers rescheduled the festival as a virtual event on the iQiyi streaming platform...
Organisers have postponed Beijing International Film Festival (Bjiff) according to reports due to a surge in the Delta variant across parts of China.
The 11th edition of the festival was scheduled to run in-person from August 14-21 and recently announced the 15-strong Tiantan Awards international competition. Gong Li was announced as chairman of the international jury.
Bjiff typically takes place in April and was postponed last year due to the pandemic. Organisers rescheduled the festival as a virtual event on the iQiyi streaming platform...
- 8/6/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
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