Asian Cinema Celebration
Veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming edition of the Festival of Far East Film in Italy’s Udine (April 24 – May 2). The lineup will include three films by Zhang: his 2023 political thriller “Under the Light” in its competition section; as well as “To Live” and “Raise the Red Lantern” in its restored classics section.
The festival’s total lineup includes 74 films in total – 47 in competition and 28 out of competition) from 11 countries. Events will kick off with a double bill of smash hit mainland Chinese movie “Yolo” and Korean action comedy “Citizen of a Kind.”
Other highlights include “13 Bombs” by Indonesia’s Angga Dwimas Sasongko; “The Goldfinger” by Hong Kong’s Felix Chong; investigative journalism drama “In Broad Daylight,” by Hong Kong’s Lawrence Kan; Ning Hao’s “The Movie Emperor”; a ten-strong Japanese selection that includes “(Ab)normal Desire,...
Veteran Chinese director Zhang Yimou will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming edition of the Festival of Far East Film in Italy’s Udine (April 24 – May 2). The lineup will include three films by Zhang: his 2023 political thriller “Under the Light” in its competition section; as well as “To Live” and “Raise the Red Lantern” in its restored classics section.
The festival’s total lineup includes 74 films in total – 47 in competition and 28 out of competition) from 11 countries. Events will kick off with a double bill of smash hit mainland Chinese movie “Yolo” and Korean action comedy “Citizen of a Kind.”
Other highlights include “13 Bombs” by Indonesia’s Angga Dwimas Sasongko; “The Goldfinger” by Hong Kong’s Felix Chong; investigative journalism drama “In Broad Daylight,” by Hong Kong’s Lawrence Kan; Ning Hao’s “The Movie Emperor”; a ten-strong Japanese selection that includes “(Ab)normal Desire,...
- 3/28/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Let's begin by talking about the numbers of the Far East Film Festival 26. This year the Feff community will be able to watch 75 films from 11 countries. More precisely, 15 world premieres (including those of restored classics), 24 international premieres, 19 European premieres and 13 Italian premieres. Expected in Udine from 24 April to 2 May, in the historic headquarters of the Teatro Nuovo and in the spaces of the Visionario, the Far East Film Festival 26 will give life to a 9-day long full immersion and it will colour the heart of the city with Asia (there are over 100 thematic events scheduled). A real feast of cinema.
The Opening Night on Wednesday 24 April will travel between China and South Korea with two international premieres. The task of opening the curtain will fall to “Yolo”, the blockbuster that bears the signature of famous comedy star Jia Ling (here in the double role of director and protagonist). It is...
The Opening Night on Wednesday 24 April will travel between China and South Korea with two international premieres. The task of opening the curtain will fall to “Yolo”, the blockbuster that bears the signature of famous comedy star Jia Ling (here in the double role of director and protagonist). It is...
- 3/27/2024
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Zhang Yimou is set to receive the Golden Mulberry Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Far East Film Festival (Feff).
The auteur, a key figure in China’s Fifth Generation of filmmakers, is best known for his films Raise the Red Lantern, Red Sorghum, To Live, Hero and House of the Flying Daggers, and was also directed the memorable opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Also receiving the coveted Golden Mulberry at the 26th edition of Feff is Taiwanese producer Chiu Fu-sheng. Chiu, a legendary figure in the Asian film industry, is known for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers including Hou Hsiao-hsien, producing A City of Sadness (1989) and The Puppetmaster (1993) and Zhang, producing both Raise the Red Lantern and To Live (1994). Zhang’s 2023 film Under the Light will also compete in the main competition at Feff.
Feff, the respected Italian festival that takes place in the northern city of Udine,...
The auteur, a key figure in China’s Fifth Generation of filmmakers, is best known for his films Raise the Red Lantern, Red Sorghum, To Live, Hero and House of the Flying Daggers, and was also directed the memorable opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Also receiving the coveted Golden Mulberry at the 26th edition of Feff is Taiwanese producer Chiu Fu-sheng. Chiu, a legendary figure in the Asian film industry, is known for his collaborations with auteur filmmakers including Hou Hsiao-hsien, producing A City of Sadness (1989) and The Puppetmaster (1993) and Zhang, producing both Raise the Red Lantern and To Live (1994). Zhang’s 2023 film Under the Light will also compete in the main competition at Feff.
Feff, the respected Italian festival that takes place in the northern city of Udine,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Far East Film Festival (Feff) in Italy’s Udine has unveiled the full line-up for its 26th edition, which will honour Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou with an honorary award and world premiere restored versions of his Raise The Red Lantern and To Live.
Running April 24 to May 2, the festival will open with a double bill: Chinese box office hit Yolo and South Korean action-comedy Citizen Of A Kind.
Yolo dominated this year’s Lunar New Year releases, grossing $484m in China, and is directed by Jia Ling, who stars as an unemployed woman in her 30s whose life is...
Running April 24 to May 2, the festival will open with a double bill: Chinese box office hit Yolo and South Korean action-comedy Citizen Of A Kind.
Yolo dominated this year’s Lunar New Year releases, grossing $484m in China, and is directed by Jia Ling, who stars as an unemployed woman in her 30s whose life is...
- 3/26/2024
- ScreenDaily
Veteran mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou is to be honored twice over at the Asian Film Awards ceremony on Sunday. He will be presented with a lifetime achievement award and a separate prize for directing the highest-grossing Asian film of 2023.
“These two awards are not only a testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements, but also to his continued success, having won the Asian film contribution award at the 4th AFAs in 2010 and the best director award at the 15th Asian Film Awards in 2021 for ‘One Second’,” Afa organizers said.
“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films [..] I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” said Zhang in a prepared statement.
“These two awards are not only a testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements, but also to his continued success, having won the Asian film contribution award at the 4th AFAs in 2010 and the best director award at the 15th Asian Film Awards in 2021 for ‘One Second’,” Afa organizers said.
“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films [..] I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” said Zhang in a prepared statement.
- 3/7/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The country recorded its highest cinema admissions in four years.
China took $7.7bn (RMB54.9b) at the box office in 2023, representing an 83% year-on-year increase and the highest cinema admissions in four years, but still 14.5% behind pre-pandemic 2019.
Local audiences continued to show their unwavering support for local productions, which claimed all the top 10 slots in the annual chart. The biggest among them were two Chinese New Year releases, historical mystery Full River Red and sci-fi The Wandering Earth 2, which both surpassed the landmark RMB4bn ($562m) mark.
Half of the top 10 were local summer hits, including crime drama No More Bets,...
China took $7.7bn (RMB54.9b) at the box office in 2023, representing an 83% year-on-year increase and the highest cinema admissions in four years, but still 14.5% behind pre-pandemic 2019.
Local audiences continued to show their unwavering support for local productions, which claimed all the top 10 slots in the annual chart. The biggest among them were two Chinese New Year releases, historical mystery Full River Red and sci-fi The Wandering Earth 2, which both surpassed the landmark RMB4bn ($562m) mark.
Half of the top 10 were local summer hits, including crime drama No More Bets,...
- 1/4/2024
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Leading Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has a tough guy exterior – leather jackets, black shirts and a square jaw that has earned him acting awards alongside his top-level credentials as cinematographer and director of “Hero,” “The Road Home” – but on a visit to the Tokyo International Film Festival this week he was all smiles and frank talk.
Zhang received a lifetime achievement award on Monday. On Tuesday the festival gave a gala screening to his historical blockbuster “Full River Red.” And at a Wednesday masterclass, Zhang was more gushed usable details about his process and frank advice for newcomers.
“To be a film director you need to be physically in good shape. No smoking and no drinking,” he advised.
“I generally adopt a two-stage process,” he explained. “As director I know that it is impossible to have a perfect screenplay. I often daydream of it, but reality always gets in the way.
Zhang received a lifetime achievement award on Monday. On Tuesday the festival gave a gala screening to his historical blockbuster “Full River Red.” And at a Wednesday masterclass, Zhang was more gushed usable details about his process and frank advice for newcomers.
“To be a film director you need to be physically in good shape. No smoking and no drinking,” he advised.
“I generally adopt a two-stage process,” he explained. “As director I know that it is impossible to have a perfect screenplay. I often daydream of it, but reality always gets in the way.
- 10/25/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“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
Taylor Swift’s concert film delivered a $92.8m opening in North America and $30.7m internationally
Worldwide box office Oct 13-15 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) 3-day (int’l) Territories 1. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (various) $128m $128m $32m $32m 95 2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount) $31.5m $126.4m $24.5m $76.5m 68 3. Exorcist: The Believer (Universal) $26.9m $85m $15.9m $40m 79 4. Under The Light (various) $13.4m $150.1m $13.4m $150.1m 2 5. The Creator (Disney) $10.2m $79.1m $5.9m $46.7m 51 6. The Volunteers: To The War (various) $9.5m $85.9m $9.5m $85.9m 2 7. Saw X (Lionsgate) $9.2m $71.3m $3.5m $29.9m 57 8. The Ex-Files 4: The Marriage...
Worldwide box office Oct 13-15 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) 3-day (int’l) Territories 1. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (various) $128m $128m $32m $32m 95 2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount) $31.5m $126.4m $24.5m $76.5m 68 3. Exorcist: The Believer (Universal) $26.9m $85m $15.9m $40m 79 4. Under The Light (various) $13.4m $150.1m $13.4m $150.1m 2 5. The Creator (Disney) $10.2m $79.1m $5.9m $46.7m 51 6. The Volunteers: To The War (various) $9.5m $85.9m $9.5m $85.9m 2 7. Saw X (Lionsgate) $9.2m $71.3m $3.5m $29.9m 57 8. The Ex-Files 4: The Marriage...
- 10/16/2023
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
Taylor Swift’s concert film delivered a $96.0m opening in North America and $32.0m internationally
Worldwide box office Oct 13-15 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) 3-day (int’l) Territories 1. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (various) $128m $128m $32m $32m 95 2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount) $31.5m $126.4m $24.5m $76.5m 68 3. Exorcist: The Believer (Universal) $26.9m $85m $15.9m $40m 79 4. Under The Light (various) $13.4m $150.1m $13.4m $150.1m 2 5. The Creator (Disney) $10.2m $79.1m $5.9m $46.7m 51 6. The Volunteers: To The War (various) $9.5m $85.9m $9.5m $85.9m 2 7. Saw X (Lionsgate) $9.2m $71.3m $3.5m $29.9m 57 8. The Ex-Files 4: The Marriage...
Worldwide box office Oct 13-15 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) 3-day (int’l) Territories 1. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (various) $128m $128m $32m $32m 95 2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount) $31.5m $126.4m $24.5m $76.5m 68 3. Exorcist: The Believer (Universal) $26.9m $85m $15.9m $40m 79 4. Under The Light (various) $13.4m $150.1m $13.4m $150.1m 2 5. The Creator (Disney) $10.2m $79.1m $5.9m $46.7m 51 6. The Volunteers: To The War (various) $9.5m $85.9m $9.5m $85.9m 2 7. Saw X (Lionsgate) $9.2m $71.3m $3.5m $29.9m 57 8. The Ex-Files 4: The Marriage...
- 10/16/2023
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
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
Chinese filmmaking icon Zhang Yimou will receive the Tokyo International Film Festival’s lifetime achievement award, the event’s organizers revealed Tuesday. Zhang will be presented with the honor at the Tokyo festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23 in “recognition of his extraordinary career and long-standing contributions to the film industry.” The director will later participate in a special talk session at the TIFF Lounge, a panel series curated by noted Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda.
The most prominent of China’s fabled “Fifth Generation” of filmmakers, Zhang made his directorial debut in 1988 with Red Sorghum, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He has directed 25 features since, including Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), and Hero (2003) — all Oscar nominees in the best international film category. Hero and his 2004 follow-up, House of Flying Daggers, are among China’s most internationally successful commercial films of all time, having earned $147 million and $83 million,...
The most prominent of China’s fabled “Fifth Generation” of filmmakers, Zhang made his directorial debut in 1988 with Red Sorghum, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He has directed 25 features since, including Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), and Hero (2003) — all Oscar nominees in the best international film category. Hero and his 2004 follow-up, House of Flying Daggers, are among China’s most internationally successful commercial films of all time, having earned $147 million and $83 million,...
- 10/10/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Leading Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month.
The award will be presented to him during the festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23.
Later, Zhang will take part in a special talk session at the TIFF Loungeco-hosted by the Japan Foundation.
Additionally, his “Full River Red,” which was a box office sensation in China at the beginning of the year, will play as a gala selection during the Tokyo festival.
Zhang, consider to be among China’s “fifth generation” of filmmakers, has had an extraordinary career that he has sustained for over three decades. His first film as director was “Red Sorghum,” which he has followed with pictures in a wide range of genres, including “The Story of Qiu Ju” (1992), “To Live” (1994), “The Road Home” (1999), “House of Flying Daggers” (2004), “The Great Wall” (2016) and “Cliff Walkers” (2021).
He...
The award will be presented to him during the festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23.
Later, Zhang will take part in a special talk session at the TIFF Loungeco-hosted by the Japan Foundation.
Additionally, his “Full River Red,” which was a box office sensation in China at the beginning of the year, will play as a gala selection during the Tokyo festival.
Zhang, consider to be among China’s “fifth generation” of filmmakers, has had an extraordinary career that he has sustained for over three decades. His first film as director was “Red Sorghum,” which he has followed with pictures in a wide range of genres, including “The Story of Qiu Ju” (1992), “To Live” (1994), “The Road Home” (1999), “House of Flying Daggers” (2004), “The Great Wall” (2016) and “Cliff Walkers” (2021).
He...
- 10/10/2023
- 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
Paramount’s Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is the top US studio film in the worldwide market with an estimated $46.1m opening
Worldwide box office Sept 29-Oct 1 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Under The Light (various) $54.8m $61.9m $54.8m $61.9m 1 2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount) $46.1m $46.1m $23.1m $23.1m 46 3. Ex-Files 4: The Marriage Plan (various) $41.4m $53.9m $41.4m $53.9m 6 4. The Creator (Disney) $32.3m $32.3m $18.3m $18.3m 49 5. The Volunteers: To The War (various) $30.8m $34.5m $30.8m $34.5m 2 6. Saw X (various) $29.3m $29.3m $11.3m $11.3m 51 7. Moscow Mission (various) $22.9m $22.9m $22.9m $22.9m...
Worldwide box office Sept 29-Oct 1 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. Under The Light (various) $54.8m $61.9m $54.8m $61.9m 1 2. Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Paramount) $46.1m $46.1m $23.1m $23.1m 46 3. Ex-Files 4: The Marriage Plan (various) $41.4m $53.9m $41.4m $53.9m 6 4. The Creator (Disney) $32.3m $32.3m $18.3m $18.3m 49 5. The Volunteers: To The War (various) $30.8m $34.5m $30.8m $34.5m 2 6. Saw X (various) $29.3m $29.3m $11.3m $11.3m 51 7. Moscow Mission (various) $22.9m $22.9m $22.9m $22.9m...
- 10/2/2023
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
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
China’s remarkable box office recovery this year took a pause on a weekend with no new releases and the quietest attendance levels since January.
Next week’s crop of blockbuster holiday releases will show if the latest weekend was aberration attributable to timing.
Data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway showed nationwide box office worth just $25 million – from a population of 1.3 billion people and some 100,000 commercial cinema screens. The figure was the second lowest of 2023 and only fractionally higher than the second week of January, which was a time when China’s post-covid recovery was only just gearing up and major film releases were targeting the late-January Chinese New Year festivities.
Since that time, China’s box office has mostly been on a roll. The Chinese New Year period was worth $1 billion to cinemas. Hollywood films have been allowed to return in quantity. And the summer season was buoyed by...
Next week’s crop of blockbuster holiday releases will show if the latest weekend was aberration attributable to timing.
Data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway showed nationwide box office worth just $25 million – from a population of 1.3 billion people and some 100,000 commercial cinema screens. The figure was the second lowest of 2023 and only fractionally higher than the second week of January, which was a time when China’s post-covid recovery was only just gearing up and major film releases were targeting the late-January Chinese New Year festivities.
Since that time, China’s box office has mostly been on a roll. The Chinese New Year period was worth $1 billion to cinemas. Hollywood films have been allowed to return in quantity. And the summer season was buoyed by...
- 9/25/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The organization Chinese in Entertainment, the non-profit behind the Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival (Lacff), is changing its name to remove the word “Chinese” after internal discussions about the political implications of the term.
After some soul-searching, the team decided that the new name Sino Entertainment Association (Sea) would be better aligned with its goal of championing inclusivity and diversity. The Lacff, its flagship event, will keep its current name for now.
“The term ‘Chinese’ no longer represents who we are as an organization, since our members and volunteers come from diverse backgrounds, including people from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the U.S., Canada and many other countries and regions,” explained Lewis Liu, the organization’s founder and sitting board member.
“Many of them are Taiwanese or Asian American, and do not identify as ‘Chinese’ [from mainland China], so we have changed the name to ‘Sino’ to include people with origins in Greater China,...
After some soul-searching, the team decided that the new name Sino Entertainment Association (Sea) would be better aligned with its goal of championing inclusivity and diversity. The Lacff, its flagship event, will keep its current name for now.
“The term ‘Chinese’ no longer represents who we are as an organization, since our members and volunteers come from diverse backgrounds, including people from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the U.S., Canada and many other countries and regions,” explained Lewis Liu, the organization’s founder and sitting board member.
“Many of them are Taiwanese or Asian American, and do not identify as ‘Chinese’ [from mainland China], so we have changed the name to ‘Sino’ to include people with origins in Greater China,...
- 4/28/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
It was only a few months ago we got the trailer for Zhang Yimou’s forthcoming crime drama Under the Light and it looks like the director has been working at a breakneck speed to finish his next film, the period spy thriller Impasse, which recently resumed shooting and is now in post-production. Ahead of a 2021 release in China, the first trailer has now arrived.
Starring Zhang Yi, Zhang Hanyu, Qin Hailu, and Zhu Yawen, not a great deal is known yet about the wartime thriller, but it’s said to follow a group of spies who are investigating inhumane experiments by Japan. With its wintry setting, it looks like Zhang Yimou has created another slick, intense experience that hopefully will come stateside sometime next year as well.
See the trailer (with English subtitles!) and a collection of posters below, with more at Maac.
Starring Zhang Yi, Zhang Hanyu, Qin Hailu, and Zhu Yawen, not a great deal is known yet about the wartime thriller, but it’s said to follow a group of spies who are investigating inhumane experiments by Japan. With its wintry setting, it looks like Zhang Yimou has created another slick, intense experience that hopefully will come stateside sometime next year as well.
See the trailer (with English subtitles!) and a collection of posters below, with more at Maac.
- 8/12/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Looks like the tides are turning in Zhang Yimou’s favour. While his Cultural Revolution era film “One Second” is still languishing in Censorship hell, his upcoming gangster story “Under the Light” saw a trailer release earlier this year and now, we also have the trailer for his spy thriller “Impasse”.
While no synopsis is available yet, the trailer promises a tense thriller set amidst a constantly snowing landscape. The film stars Zhang Yi, Zhang Hanyu, Yu Hewei, Zhu Yawen and Qin Hailu. No release details available yet.
While no synopsis is available yet, the trailer promises a tense thriller set amidst a constantly snowing landscape. The film stars Zhang Yi, Zhang Hanyu, Yu Hewei, Zhu Yawen and Qin Hailu. No release details available yet.
- 8/4/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
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