News

Chinese streamer and producer iQiyi is joining forces with Malaysia’s Gsc Movies and Singapore-based Clover Films to handle theatrical distribution of its Chinese-language films in their respective territories.

As part of this partnership, the iQiyi-backed film Trending Topic, directed by Xin Yukun and starring Zhou Dongyu, Yuan Hong, and Song Yang, will be theatrically released in Singapore and Malaysia, following its release in mainland China on December 1.

Similarly, iQiyi’s The Invisible Guest, directed by Chen Zhuo and starring actors Greg Hsu, Janine Chang, Kara Wai and Zheng Yin, will also be in theatres in Singapore and Malaysia after it debuts in Chinese cinemas on December 8.

Yang Xianghua, iQiyi’s President of Movie & Overseas Business, said: “We have witnessed a growing demand since we started distributing Chinese-language content to overseas markets in 2017.

“By partnering with Gsc Movies and Clover Films for theatrical distribution, we can seamlessly bring Chinese-language...

Zhang Baomin is a miner who works far from home because of some disputes he had with the townsfolk years ago, whilst his wife and son remain near the mountains running a small sheep farm. One day, Baomin learns that his son Lei hasn’t come back from shepherding for two days. He goes back to find his son. His appearance back in town makes people anxious. Searching for his son, Baomin heads for the rough and dangerous mountains, but the resentment and distrust of the townsfolk leads them to turn a blind eye to the reality of a missing child, and the corruption and danger permeating their lives.

Director Yukun Xin’s debut film ‘The Coffin in the Mountain’ was selected for the 29th Venice International Film Critics’ Week in 2014.

Jiang Wu (pictured) and Song Yang star in suspense drama about class conflict.

Bingchi Lab, launched by China’s First International Film Festival Xining, has entered the production of Chinese independent features starting with The Villain, directed by Xin Yukun.

Starring Jiang Wu (A Touch Of Sin), Song Yang (The Master) and Yuan Wenkang (The Golden Era), the suspense drama revolves around individual struggles and class conflicts in a northern mining town, where one segment of the population has become rapidly wealthy, but seemingly at the expense of local farmers.

Bingchi Pictures is producing the film with Hehe Pictures, part-owned by Alibaba, actor Chen Kun and director Cao Baoping. Im Global’s Beijing-based consultancy Go Global is handling festival strategy on the film, which wrapped in Inner Mongolia in late December.

The Villain is Xin’s second feature following The Coffin In The Mountain (2014), which premiered in Venice Critics Week, where it won...

Thriller The Tag-Along to close festival in Taipei.

Taipei’s Golden Horse Film Festival (Nov 5-26) is to open with Distance, produced and written by award-winning Anthony Chen (Ilo Ilo).

The film marks the first project from Chen’s Giraffe Picture and is an omnibus feature collaboration with China’s Guangxi Film Group.

Up-and-coming filmmakers Sivaroj Kongsakul (from Thailand), Tan Shijie (Singapore), and Xin Yukun (China) direct. Taiwanese actor Chen Bo-Lin (Blue Gate Crossing) plays the lead.

Closing film The Tag-Along, directed by Wei-Hao Cheng, is an adaptation of a paranormal, urban legend that centres on a mysterious girl in red. It stars Ann Hsu, River Huang and Yiin Shang Liou.

Cheng won best short at the Taipei Film Awards with The Death of A Security Guard.

Both the opening and closing films are world premieres.

The 52nd Golden Horse Awards Ceremony will be held on Nov 21.