AT FILMART

DAY 3
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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 topgrossing
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 signals
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 holidays
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.
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
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 2012
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 Summer)
will direct the $5.6m romantic
drama with mainland actor Huang
Bo (Crazy Racer) and Chiling Lin
(Love On Credit, Red Cliff) starring.
BY LIZ SHACKLETON
Kadokawa Pictures has acquired
all Japanese rights to Kevin Macdonald’s
Bob Marley documentary
Marley from Fortissimo Films.
The fi lm is scheduled for theatrical
release in North America and
Say Yes is a Beauty And The
Beast-style story about a down-onhis-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 immediately
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
ScreenSingapore moves to December
the UK on April 20, then will release
worldwide throughout the summer
to coincide with the 50th anniversary
of Jamaican independence.
The deal was brokered by Fortissimo’s
executive vice-president
Winnie Lau and Kadokawa’s Takeo
Hong Kong director Ronny Yu at yesterday’s Saving General Yang press
conference at Filmart. The $26m epic is produced by Pegasus Motion Pictures.
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.
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
AT FILMART
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 indicated
they will make cameo
appearances. The release date is
planned for February 2013.
New Classic Media is a Beijingbased
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 acquisitions,
co-productions & sales international
operations.
The film was produced by
Shangri-La Entertainment and
Tuff Gong Pictures in association
with Cowboy Films, which produced
Macdonald’s The Last King
Of Scotland.
Panel shines
light on script
BY JEAN NOH
Two writers and a producer from
Hollywood stressed the importance
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,
Kung Fu Panda screenwriter
Glenn Berger advised scriptwriters
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
Hollywood and Asian screenwriting
and development processes,
with Hollywood having a more collaborative
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 constant
feedback, rewrite and find
people who can help you with
notes,” said screenwriter Rita Hsiao
(Mulan, Toy Story 2).
TODAY
Review: Beautiful 2012
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 madefor-internet
movies from four top
Asian directors
» Page 12
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Clover sets
six-film slate
BY LIZ SHACKLETON
Singapore’s Clover Films is gearing
up to release a slate of six productions
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 Service.
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 postproduction:
comedy horror Greedy
Ghost, youth drama Imperfect and
romantic comedy The Golden Couple.
All three are co-productions
with MM2 and other partners in
Malaysia and Singapore.
Clover is also co-producing previously
announced horror film
Inside The Urn, directed by Gilbert
Chan, which starts shooting in June.
Singapore films have recently
found a new market in neighbouring
Malaysia, where Clover co-production
The Wedding Diary grossed
$1.3m earlier this year.
“Between Singapore and Malaysia
we can now recoup a $1m
budget, so other territories are extra
revenue,” said Clover’s Lim Teck.