WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 2012


TODAY Review: Beautiful 2012 AT FILMART www.ScreenDaily.com


Filmart is rocked by 4D Sexecution


BY LIZ SHACKLETON Hong Kong producer Stephen Shiu Jr has one of the most popular booths at Filmart thanks to his slate of hot 3D movies and a teaser demonstration of a 4D Sex And Zen sequel. Shiu produced 3D Sex And Zen:


Extreme Ecstasy which was the top- grossing local fi lm in Hong Kong last year, taking more than $5m. He is now prepping the sequel, Sex And Zen II: 4D Sexecution, which is being made for D-Box cinemas with motion simulators in the seats. “Golden Harvest has already


installed D-Box in its Mongkok cinema and is planning to roll out the technology across its circuit of 150 theatres,” Shiu explains. “We just have to prepare a special soundtrack that sends digital sig- nals to the seats.” Before he unleashes 4D sex on


the world, Shiu’s China 3D Digital Entertainment is producing another erotic film, Dong Guan Wood, based on the hit internet novel, which is being lined up for release over the National Day holi- days in October. “This year the holiday lasts eight


days so we hope mainland tourists will have time to come and see the fi lm,” Shiu said. Shiu is also developing several


3D fi lms outside the erotic genre, including $20m action romance Iceman Cometh, to be co-directed by Donnie Yen and Sex And Zen director Christopher Sun. Yen will also star in the film, which is scheduled to start shooting in July. Beijing-based Wanda Media is on board as a co-producer.


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NCM proposes remake of Japanese TV classic


BY SEN-LUN YU Beijing-based New Classic Media (NCM) has partnered with Japan’s Fuji TV Network to co-fi nance and co-produce the Chinese film remake of 1991 hit Japanese TV drama 101st Marriage Proposal. The film will be called Say Yes,


the title of the TV drama’s theme song. Taiwanese fi lm-maker Leste Chen (Love On Credit, Eternal Sum- mer) will direct the $5.6m romantic drama with mainland actor Huang Bo (Crazy Racer) and Chiling Lin (Love On Credit, Red Cliff) starring.


Say Yes is a Beauty And The


Beast-style story about a down-on- his-luck man who has gone through 99 arranged dates to fi nd a future wife but all failed. He meets a beautiful cellist on the 100th arranged date and immedi- ately falls for her. But her heart is set on her ex-boyfriend. Without good looks or deep pockets, the man can only pursue his love with a sincere heart and perseverance. Former Beijing Galloping Horse


executive Tina Shi and New Classic Media’s vice-president Zhang


Kadokawa picks up Marley


BY LIZ SHACKLETON Kadokawa Pictures has acquired all Japanese rights to Kevin Mac- donald’s Bob Marley documentary Marley from Fortissimo Films. The fi lm is scheduled for theatri- cal release in North America and


the UK on April 20, then will release worldwide throughout the summer to coincide with the 50th anniver- sary of Jamaican independence. The deal was brokered by Fortis-


simo’s executive vice-president Winnie Lau and Kadokawa’s Takeo


Wenbo will serve as producers of the fi lm. Shooting will start in May in Shanghai, Tokyo and Okinawa. The two Japanese actors from the original TV version, Atsuko Asano and Tetsuya Takeda, have indi- cated they will make cameo appearances. The release date is planned for February 2013. New Classic Media is a Beijing-


based entertainment company which has made investments in films such as Mr And Mrs Single and Zhang Yimou’s Under The Hawthorn Tree.


Kodera, general manager acquisi- tions, co-productions & sales inter- national operations. The film was produced by


Shangri-La Entertainment and Tuff Gong Pictures in association with Cowboy Films, which pro- duced Macdonald’s The Last King Of Scotland.


Panel shines light on script


BY JEAN NOH Two writers and a producer from Hollywood stressed the impor- tance of script development and structure in Asian cinema at a panel titled ‘Screenwriting for the global market’ here yesterday. To succeed in the global market,


Hong Kong director Ronny Yu at yesterday’s Saving General Yang press conference at Filmart. The $26m epic is produced by Pegasus Motion Pictures.


ScreenSingapore moves to December


Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) has announced the second edition of ScreenSingapore will move to December to take place at the same time as the Asia Television Forum (ATF). The co-organiser of the event is changing from Experia Events to


Reed Exhibitions. Reed also organises the ATF which this year takes place December 4-7, while ScreenSingapore will be held December 5-7. Both events will take place at the


Marina Bay Sands convention centre.


Kung Fu Panda screenwriter Glenn Berger advised scriptwrit- ers and producers to keep their fi lms “as universal as possible on an emotional level and as specifi c as possible on a cultural level”. The panel also discussed the


ScreenSingapore was held for


the first time in June 2011 and incorporated a trade show,


conference and red carpet premieres of US and Asian films. This year’s edition will have a similar format and also tie up with UniFrance to host the premiere of a French film.


Liz Shackleton


Hollywood and Asian screenwrit- ing and development processes, with Hollywood having a more col- laborative process than Asia where directors are often the scriptwriters and projects are greenlit more quickly with fl uid fi nancing. “You have to be able to take con-


stant feedback, rewrite and find people who can help you with notes,” said screenwriter Rita Hsiao (Mulan, Toy Story 2).


NEWS French connection How fruitful has the 2010 China- France co-production treaty been for each side? » Page 4


REVIEW Beautiful 2012 Four singular and absorbing made- for-internet movies from four top Asian directors » Page 12


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This is Screen’s final Filmart print edition for 2012. Please follow our continuing Filmart news and reviews at ScreenDaily.com.


Clover sets six-film slate


BY LIZ SHACKLETON Singapore’s Clover Films is gearing up to release a slate of six produc- tions before the end of the year, as it responds to growing demand in Singapore and Malaysia for locally produced fi lms. Scheduled to start shooting in


the next few months, Jack Neo’s Ah Boys To Men is a two-part comedy about Singapore’s National Serv- ice. The fi rst part will be released towards the end of this year and the second part during Chinese New Year 2013. Currently in production, Give Me


Four Numbers is a comedy drama about a dog who can predict lottery numbers. Clover is co-producing with MM2 Entertainment and Daniel Yun’s Homerun Pictures. Clover, which is also a buyer for


Singapore, has three fi lms in post- production: comedy horror Greedy Ghost, youth drama Imperfect and romantic comedy The Golden Cou- ple. All three are co-productions with MM2 and other partners in Malaysia and Singapore. Clover is also co-producing pre-


viously announced horror film Inside The Urn, directed by Gilbert Chan, which starts shooting in June. Singapore films have recently


found a new market in neighbour- ing Malaysia, where Clover co-pro- duction The Wedding Diary grossed $1.3m earlier this year. “Between Singapore and Malay-


sia we can now recoup a $1m budget, so other territories are extra revenue,” said Clover’s Lim Teck.


DAY 3


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