BEIJING -- Japan's Gaga Distribution has paid $5 million at the American Film Market for distribution rights to top Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's latest film The Banquet, which stars Zhang Ziyi, Beijing-based producers Huayi Brothers Film Investment Co. said Monday. "The deal is confirmed," Leah Xu, a Beijing-based vp of Huayi Bros, one of China's leading independent film production companies, which is handling its own international distribution with Media Asia of Hong Kong. "Other deals are still being processed," Xu added. The deal, believed to be a record presale from a Japanese distributor for a Chinese film, will come as welcome news to the Chinese filmmakers. The Banquet, which is currently shooting, like most Chinese films had no completion guarantor, and went $5 million over its initial $20 million budget in September (HR 9/2). Huayi Brothers -- which made the Hong Kong hit Kung Fu Hustle with Sony Pictures Entertainment -- are co-producing Banquet -- dubbed by Xu as an "Asian version of Hamlet" - in partnership with Media Asia. Leading actor Ge You has appeared in six films by Feng, including such hits as Big Shot's Funeral and Cell Phone. Zhang will next be seen in Princess Racoon by Japan's Seijun Suzuki, and Memoirs of a Geisha, by Rob Marshall for Spyglass Entertainment.
- 11/8/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BEIJING -- Japan's Gaga Distribution has paid $5 million at the American Film Market for distribution rights to top Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's latest film The Banquet, which stars Zhang Ziyi, Beijing-based producers Huayi Brothers Film Investment Co. said Monday. "The deal is confirmed," Leah Xu, a Beijing-based vp of Huayi Bros, one of China's leading independent film production companies, which is handling its own international distribution with Media Asia of Hong Kong. "Other deals are still being processed," Xu added. The deal, believed to be a record presale from a Japanese distributor for a Chinese film, will come as welcome news to the Chinese filmmakers. The Banquet, which is currently shooting, like most Chinese films had no completion guarantor, and went $5 million over its initial $20 million budget in September (HR 9/2). Huayi Brothers -- which made the Hong Kong hit Kung Fu Hustle with Sony Pictures Entertainment -- are co-producing Banquet -- dubbed by Xu as an "Asian version of Hamlet" - in partnership with Media Asia. Leading actor Ge You has appeared in six films by Feng, including such hits as Big Shot's Funeral and Cell Phone. Zhang will next be seen in Princess Racoon by Japan's Seijun Suzuki, and Memoirs of a Geisha, by Rob Marshall for Spyglass Entertainment.
- 11/7/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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