Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.FESTIVALSMay Days.As many as 200 French film festival workers plan to stage labor actions during Cannes, citing insufficient pay and the exclusion of many festival staff from unemployment benefits when they are not under contract. The movement is being organized under the banner of Sous Les Écrans La Dèche: Collectif Des Précaires Des Festivals De Cinéma.A new report outlines the institutional dysfunction at the Toronto International Film Festival, which recently lost the support of the telecommunications company Bell as its major sponsor. Citing a desire for “greater accessibility,” Slamdance Film Festival will relocate from Park City, Ut, to Los Angeles in 2025.NEWSHarlan County, U.S.A..Now that all thirteen IATSE locals have reached tentative agreements with the AMPTP,...
- 5/1/2024
- MUBI
Yesterday Variety broke news that legendary Hong Kong producer Bill Kong has started production on a new action film called The Furious in Bangkok, Thailand, and he's enlisted the help of some of Asia's leading action talent. Like, the best of the best. The Furious will be directed by Japanese stunt director and action choreographer Tanigaki Kenji. His Pan-Asian cast includes former Chinese child actor and action star Xie Miao, Indonesia’s Joe Taslim (The Raid: Redemption), Thailand’s Jeeja Yanin (Chocolate), Yang Enyu and Indonesia’s Yayan Ruhian (The Raid: Redmeption). That's a lot of heavy hitters. Here's the scoop from Variety, of what to expect...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 4/26/2024
- Screen Anarchy
Bill Kong is cautious, vastly experienced and has an impeccable reputation as a key gateway between Hollywood and China to maintain. He is someone far more likely to deadpan than gush.
So, to hear him getting into high gear with a pitch for his bucket list martial arts movie project “The Furious” immediately invites comparison with previous Kong-produced action pictures including Oscar-winner “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Jet Li’s Fearless” or the Zhang Yimou-directed “Hero.”
“I’m going to do an action movie that rocks the world. And to prove that Hong Kong still has something to give the film industry. I want to show that Asian people can still make an action movie that is better than the rest of the world,” Kong tells Variety.
Significantly, “The Furious” is a project made by Hong Kong, rather than made in Hong Kong. Kong’s Edko Films is financing and producing.
So, to hear him getting into high gear with a pitch for his bucket list martial arts movie project “The Furious” immediately invites comparison with previous Kong-produced action pictures including Oscar-winner “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Jet Li’s Fearless” or the Zhang Yimou-directed “Hero.”
“I’m going to do an action movie that rocks the world. And to prove that Hong Kong still has something to give the film industry. I want to show that Asian people can still make an action movie that is better than the rest of the world,” Kong tells Variety.
Significantly, “The Furious” is a project made by Hong Kong, rather than made in Hong Kong. Kong’s Edko Films is financing and producing.
- 4/25/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Hong Kong’s biggest ever local hit A Guilty Conscience was named best film at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa), while Mad Fate’s Soi Cheang took best director and The Goldfinger swept six awards including best actor for Tony Leung.
A Guilty Conscience producer Bill Kong received the top award on stage from acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. That was the only win on the night for the courtroom drama, which went into the awards ceremony with 10 nominations.
Scroll down for full winners list
Murder mystery Mad Fate scooped three awards comprising best screenplay, best editing and best director for Cheang.
A Guilty Conscience producer Bill Kong received the top award on stage from acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda. That was the only win on the night for the courtroom drama, which went into the awards ceremony with 10 nominations.
Scroll down for full winners list
Murder mystery Mad Fate scooped three awards comprising best screenplay, best editing and best director for Cheang.
- 4/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
Imagi Crystal, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Imagi International Holdings, is making its debut at Filmart as it expands into sales and distribution.
Its inaugural slate includes Due West 2: Tokyo Adventure, an erotic film starring Hong Kong’s first adult-video actress Erena So.
Christopher Sun, director of 2011’s 3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy and producer of 2012’s Due West: Our Sex Journey, will direct alongside Terry Cheng. Justin Cheung (Breakout Brothers franchise) co-stars in the film, which is backed by Imagi Crystal.
The Hong Kong-based company has also picked up international sales rights to Golden Boy, starring Louis Cheung...
Its inaugural slate includes Due West 2: Tokyo Adventure, an erotic film starring Hong Kong’s first adult-video actress Erena So.
Christopher Sun, director of 2011’s 3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy and producer of 2012’s Due West: Our Sex Journey, will direct alongside Terry Cheng. Justin Cheung (Breakout Brothers franchise) co-stars in the film, which is backed by Imagi Crystal.
The Hong Kong-based company has also picked up international sales rights to Golden Boy, starring Louis Cheung...
- 3/12/2024
- ScreenDaily
Trinity CineAsia has acquired UK and Ireland rights to Table For Six 2, sequel to the smash hit Hong Kong comedy, in deal with Edko Films.
The ensemble comedy is again written and directed by Sunny Chan, whose 2022 film Table For Six centred on an awkward family reunion and became the third highest-grossing Chinese-language in Hong Kong on release in 2022 with takings of $9.85m ($77.1m).
The sequel revolves around three weddings and how a family of aunts, uncles and cousins all get involved with the nuptials. Original cast returning for the follow-up includes Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung, Ivana Wong, Lin Min Chen...
The ensemble comedy is again written and directed by Sunny Chan, whose 2022 film Table For Six centred on an awkward family reunion and became the third highest-grossing Chinese-language in Hong Kong on release in 2022 with takings of $9.85m ($77.1m).
The sequel revolves around three weddings and how a family of aunts, uncles and cousins all get involved with the nuptials. Original cast returning for the follow-up includes Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung, Ivana Wong, Lin Min Chen...
- 1/17/2024
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Hong Kong-based studio Edko Films will launch “Table for Six 2,” a sequel to its 2022 smash hit, at Tiffcom, the rights market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival.
The heartfelt comedy is again written and directed by Sunny Chan, who enjoyed breakout success with “Table for Six,” a comedy-drama that starts with an awkward family reunion dinner where past and present romantic relationships are tangled and almost anything that could go wrong did.
For the sequel. Chan has reunited the original cast – Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung, Ivana Wong, Lin Min Chen, Peter Chan Charm Man – for three weddings and their aftermath. “Marriage isn’t just about two individuals; it involves a whole family of aunts, uncles, and cousins,” says Edko,
Now in production, the film is being produced by Bill Kong, Ivy Ho and Tang Wai But. Rights will also be pitched at the American Film Market.
The firm is...
The heartfelt comedy is again written and directed by Sunny Chan, who enjoyed breakout success with “Table for Six,” a comedy-drama that starts with an awkward family reunion dinner where past and present romantic relationships are tangled and almost anything that could go wrong did.
For the sequel. Chan has reunited the original cast – Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung, Ivana Wong, Lin Min Chen, Peter Chan Charm Man – for three weddings and their aftermath. “Marriage isn’t just about two individuals; it involves a whole family of aunts, uncles, and cousins,” says Edko,
Now in production, the film is being produced by Bill Kong, Ivy Ho and Tang Wai But. Rights will also be pitched at the American Film Market.
The firm is...
- 10/22/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms,” the first part of Wuershan’s big-budget “Fengshen Trilogy,” topped the mainland China box office for the second weekend and expanded its week-on-week haul by 35%.
‘Barbie’ also showed signs of resilience in a market where it opened a week earlier in a disappointing fifth place.
“Creation of the Gods I” grossed $57.6 million. according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. That compares with $42.6 million in it opening frame and after 11 days in Chinese theaters, it has earned $156 million. Also, unlike its first weekend, “Creation of the Gods” was the winner on each day between Friday and Sunday.
The “Fengshen Trilogy” set out to be a mega scale blending of history, folklore and mythology from more than 3,000 years ago, that would be China’s answer to both “Lord of the Rings” and “Iron Man.” It counts of Barrie Osborne (“Lord of the Rings...
‘Barbie’ also showed signs of resilience in a market where it opened a week earlier in a disappointing fifth place.
“Creation of the Gods I” grossed $57.6 million. according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. That compares with $42.6 million in it opening frame and after 11 days in Chinese theaters, it has earned $156 million. Also, unlike its first weekend, “Creation of the Gods” was the winner on each day between Friday and Sunday.
The “Fengshen Trilogy” set out to be a mega scale blending of history, folklore and mythology from more than 3,000 years ago, that would be China’s answer to both “Lord of the Rings” and “Iron Man.” It counts of Barrie Osborne (“Lord of the Rings...
- 7/31/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Barbie‘s phenomenal box office opening in the U.S. wasn’t matched in China — not by a long shot.
The Greta Gerwig-directed Warner Bros. blockbuster opened to just $8 million in China, finishing the weekend in fifth place behind a bunch of local Chinese hits. In North America, the film debuted to a record-setting $155 million.
The soft start for Barbie continues a trend of Hollywood films earning much less in China than they once did. Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One badly lost its opening in China the weekend prior with a third-place start behind a pair of Chinese holdovers.
Word of mouth for Barbie has been strong, despite the tepid sales. Its social scores are 9.4 on Maoyan, 9.3 on Tao Piao Piao and 8.6 on Douban. On Monday, the good buzz appeared to be giving Barbie a modest boost, with its sales ranking climbing into third place for the day.
The Greta Gerwig-directed Warner Bros. blockbuster opened to just $8 million in China, finishing the weekend in fifth place behind a bunch of local Chinese hits. In North America, the film debuted to a record-setting $155 million.
The soft start for Barbie continues a trend of Hollywood films earning much less in China than they once did. Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One badly lost its opening in China the weekend prior with a third-place start behind a pair of Chinese holdovers.
Word of mouth for Barbie has been strong, despite the tepid sales. Its social scores are 9.4 on Maoyan, 9.3 on Tao Piao Piao and 8.6 on Douban. On Monday, the good buzz appeared to be giving Barbie a modest boost, with its sales ranking climbing into third place for the day.
- 7/24/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
While “Barbie” was romping to box office records in North American and scoring strongly in many international territories, the pink phenomenon could muster only fifth place in China, the world’s second largest movie market, on its opening weekend.
“Barbie” managed $8.2 million in its opening three days, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway.
Local box office sources show the film trapped in that position on all three days of the weekend session, as the locally-produced titles jostled for leadership and swapped positions. Somewhat encouragingly, the daily score for “Barbie” had increased by Sunday as it was given more screening sessions by Chinese exhibitors.
“Barbie” joins a growing list of Hollywood films that have disappointed at the mainland Chinese box office this year. Others include “The Little Mermaid,” “Indiana Jones” and “Fast X.”
Hollywood titles are facing fewer structural impediments in China (import and certification delays) that they did in recent years.
“Barbie” managed $8.2 million in its opening three days, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway.
Local box office sources show the film trapped in that position on all three days of the weekend session, as the locally-produced titles jostled for leadership and swapped positions. Somewhat encouragingly, the daily score for “Barbie” had increased by Sunday as it was given more screening sessions by Chinese exhibitors.
“Barbie” joins a growing list of Hollywood films that have disappointed at the mainland Chinese box office this year. Others include “The Little Mermaid,” “Indiana Jones” and “Fast X.”
Hollywood titles are facing fewer structural impediments in China (import and certification delays) that they did in recent years.
- 7/24/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Some 16 titles were showcased at a packed launch in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures (Emp) presented a massive line-up of 16 titles at Filmart, including actor Nicholas Tse’s directorial debut New Police Story 2 and a further two action films also led by Tse.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first New Police Story, which was directed by the late filmmaker Benny Chan. The new feature reunites the original cast, including Tse, Jackie Chan and Charlene Choi, from the original film. Chan will produce for Tse who will direct for the first time.
The film is set to enter production this year,...
Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures (Emp) presented a massive line-up of 16 titles at Filmart, including actor Nicholas Tse’s directorial debut New Police Story 2 and a further two action films also led by Tse.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first New Police Story, which was directed by the late filmmaker Benny Chan. The new feature reunites the original cast, including Tse, Jackie Chan and Charlene Choi, from the original film. Chan will produce for Tse who will direct for the first time.
The film is set to enter production this year,...
- 3/15/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
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