Showing posts with label Piano in a Factory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Piano in a Factory. Show all posts

Thursday, June 9, 2011

6.9.2011 - News

2 comments
TimeOutHK: Love For Life review

FBA: A Disappearing Village review
Drily black comedy of rural stubbornness is a small, independent gem.

Dinner with Johnnie To and Ringo Lam
Han also revealed that the movie will be shown in over 10 foreign countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, South Korea and Singapore, and added that the global version finished editing on Wednesday 
Hugh Jackman portrays an Australian businessman who was involved into a romantic relationship with the character played by Gianna Jun 

GlobalTimes: The Piano in a Factory
The Piano in a Factory (2010) has been touring the globe, attending more than 40 international film festivals in the year since completion, before its premiere on the Chinese mainland on June 30, according to director Zhang Meng.
Shooting was almost suspended mid-production due to a cash crisis, leading to lead actress Qin Hailu investing her own money and becoming co-producer. Although the film took merely 60 days and 5 million yuan ($771,500) to make, investors suddenly withdrew at the toughest of times, leaving only 47 yuan ($7.25) remaining in the budget.

CNNGo: The Hong Kong movie audience doesn't matter anymore


Gao Yuanyuan promotes vegetarianism for PETA Asia



Zhao Wei and daughter (Xinhua)

MSN: Andy Hui to propose in Japan? (Xinhua)
MSN: Carina Lau and Tony Leung trying for a baby
The pair was said to have gone to the United States to seek treatment
Nicholas Tse Ting Fung has finally signed divorce papers and agreed that wife Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi can take primary care of his two kids, according to an early report from Hong Kong's East Week and Next Magazine
Nicholas Tse: Cecilia is no longer my woman (MSN)


Thursday, May 19, 2011

5.19.2011 - News

2 comments
CRI: First Poster of "The Great Magician" Released

Another poster previously posted...


CF: Newest Poster of "White Vengeance" Out at Cannes
Starring a slew of famous actors Leon Lai Ming, Zhang Hanyu, Liu Yifei, Feng Shaofeng, Anthony Wong, Jordan Chan and Andy On, the film has aroused great interest of foreign film companies.


CF: Weinstein Holds Yacht Party for "Wu Xia"
CF: Sundance Int'l Film Festival Lauds Chinese Film Last Train Home
CF: 'Piano in a Factory' Scheduled to Hit Cinemas
[There seems to some sort of controversy involved over a title change and posters have been released without a title but only with a question mark. Since winning best picture prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival, the investors want to change the Chinese title, "Steel Piano", to draw a better domestic box office, against the wishes of the director. Actress, producer Qin Hailu also objected to the name change and asked to have her name removed as producer if it is changed. Dozens of suggestions from the internet, including "Crazy Piano", have been suggested.] (Sina), 2, 3


Simon Yam will team up with Gianna Jun (Jeon Ji-Hyun), Kim Hye-su in a Korean film called "Thieves", a diamond heist story. It will begin shooting June in Seoul and Macau. Choi Dong-hun (Tazza: The High Rollers) will direct. (Sina)

First concept poster for Stephen Fung's Tai Chi from Huayi Brothers
Wang Zhonglei and Stephen Fung


FBA: Chinese director Gao is jailed
Chinese film director Gao Xiaosong, whose My Kingdom showed to buyers in Cannes this week, was jailed on Tuesday for six months by a Beijing court.

New poster for the horror film, No. 32, B District, shot entirely with hand-held video camera. Opens June 3. (Sina), 2

Wang Lanfei, Gu Youming
Poster for Love Finally (billed as male version of Sex and the City) opens June 17
Perhaps most notable for having Mavis Pan Shuang Shuang in the cast

(Sina), 2, 3, 4


CF: "A Beautiful Life" Premieres in Hong Kong
Liu Ye was inexplicably absent, however Shawn Yue was in attendance





Charlie Young and Aaron Kwok appear for TSL brand jewelry

The pair was spotted on the same flight earlier this month
Seems like all the rumours about marriage troubles for Christy and Jon are unfounded after Taiwan media reported yesterday that the so-called girl seen with Jon was actually veteran singer David Huang's manager cum girlfriend. It was also revealed that David was the one who took a photo of the pair (Jon and his girlfriend) CNA: Christy Chung's rumoured marriage woes prove false On the catwalk (Sina-slideshow)

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

4.26.2011 - News

0 comments
FBA: The Piano in a Factory review (9/10)
A lightly comic gem with an ensemble cast and stylised look in perfect synch.

The Lion Roars (2002)

Joe Ma is set to begin filming the sequel to The Lion Roars in July with Cecilia Cheung returning. Cecilia had contracted for the sequel years ago. Whether Louis Koo also returns has not been finalized. Filming will take place in Shandong and Ningbo. (Sina)

The Detective 2

The early report from one viewer who saw the media preview of The Detective 2 (B+ Detective) says that the visual impact of the film is worthy but finds that the storytelling aspect is less impressive and an insufficient level of suspense. The film focuses on human nature and the darker side of man rather than ghostly type horrors which the director feels is more terrifying and lasts a lifetime. The film closes with an open ending and the author wonders whether there should be a future promotion to A+ Detective. (Sina) [Update: It seems that the mainland and Hong Kong versions may not be the same?]

Stills from Jacob Cheung's Rest on Your Shoulders. The story is a romance of one man, three women and will be released this summer
Chen Kun

Guei Lun-Mei, Chen Kun

Jiang Yiyan, Chen Kun

Gigi Leung, Chen Kun

Gigi Leung, Chen Kun

Angelababy on poster for an upcoming show in Japan

The broadcast station is said to be promoting the Hong Kong actor through his dramas, songs and new movie role

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

3.23.2011 - News

0 comments
ScreenDaily: Forever (SG) review
The film poses the question whether Joey’s relentless drive to snag the man of her dreams will succeed despite the almost stalker-like behaviour.
Xu Tong's 157-minute docu concerns a badly crippled fortuneteller with a severely impaired wife, driven from pillar to post by police crackdowns. If the central figure, Li Baicheng, were any less oddly charismatic, the film might register only as an exhaustive case history on the marginalization of the poor and disabled under Chinese capitalism. Yet Li maintains a remarkable level of equanimity, as Xu's camera becomes a kind of companion to whom he confides his thoughts.
Stylish "The Piano in a Factory" offers fitful entertainment value but little narrative cohesion or momentum, playing like a series of disconnected setpieces in search of context. Chinese writer-director Zhang Meng's sophomore feature (following 2007's "Lucky Dog") centers on a humble musician's attempt to hold onto his music-prodigy daughter by securing her a piano by hook or by crook. Melancholic comedy demonstrates considerable flair for camera movement and use of music, but is too fragmentary to realize its crowdpleasing goal. Film Movement plans a limited U.S. theatrical run this summer, simultaneous with VOD release.

TVB favorite and multi-hyphenate Eric Tsang is producing four titles, including cop thriller Fatal Connections with director Herman Yau, the first among the titles to go into production. He will also produce The Three Wise Guys, a Chinese vampire academy comedy for this summer where he reunites with his I Love HK director Chung Shue-kai; Jiang-hu Yi (tentative title), an original epic about Hong Kong triads before the handover in 1997, with director Daniel Chan; and Hunt for Love, co-directing with his protégé Heiward Mak on the original story by media personality/writerMichelle Lo...
Nansun Shi, the executive director of Film Workshop, said that demand for Asian co-production is actually declining as foreign producers now want to make a film in China on their own.
“There are a lot of investors, but nobody knows who is who,” she added.
FBA: The coproduction conundrum

THR: Mixed Results for Chinese Entertainment Firms Following IPOs
FBA: HAF favours edgy films
The 9th Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum presented six prizes this afternoon, 23 March, including the newly launched Chinese Script Development Fund.
FBA:Beautiful life heads to USA
Media Asia closed a deal on Andrew Lau's film A Beautiful Life for North America, Australia and New Zealand with new distributor China Lion.
Only some six months back Chinese films began getting day-and-date releases in North America thanks to the establishment of a new distribution concern China Lion Films and the participation of AMC, the US's second largest film exhibition group. 
CRI: Trailer Released for Zhang Ziyi's New Film
A new trailer has been released for the AIDS-themed film "Till Death Do Us Part"

Poster for comedy thriller Deadly Will


A document found by the media  revealed that Zhou Dongyu was born in 1991, not 1992 as listed on her blog. (Xinhua) Zhou Dongyu is reportedly signed to Stanley Kwan's My Kingdom. Fan Bingbing had been considered earlier but deemed not a good match for the character. (Sina)

Yang Mi, Jordan Chan at the Mysterious Island press conference

Shu Qi has a bit of fun with herself on her weibo, even admits to pimples, muscle aches and foot pain.




Beautiful Life with Liu Ye (Xinhua)

Zhao Wei

At an appearance in Shanghai for HSBC, Zhao Wei said that she would work on her delayed graduate film for Beijing Film Academy in September after finishing Painted Skin 2 and Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains.
(Xinhua), (Xinhua-gallery)

The Man Behind the Courtyard House starring Simon Yam has been toned down for both sexy and violent scenes prior to its release according to a media report. The film was previewed yesterday in Guangzhou. Pre-release publicity teased a suspenseful thriller and bloody violence, including Simon Yam committing homicide by hammering a nail into a man's brain. The film has spent four months in review and revision and the end result left the crew surprised. Also, a Cantonese version is planned for release in Guangdong area audiences. (21cn), (Sina), 2

Director Huang Jianxin, in an interview at Filmart, denied earlier reports that all of Tang Wei's scenes had been deleted from The Founding of a Party. He admitted that many scenes were cut to get the 3 hour film down to 2 hours. (Sina)


Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Piano in a Factory - Sydney

0 comments
Qin Hailu and Wang Qianyuan accepted the Special Jury's Prize for The Piano in a Factory at the 3rd Chinese Film Festival in Sydney. The pair also rode in the parade celebrating the Chinese New Year. The next stop for the duo will be at the Berlin Film Festival and then on to Miami. A domestic release is expected in March or April. Competing films - 3rd Chinese Film Festival


Qin Hailu
Wang Qianyuan, Qin Hailu




Qin Hailu




(Sina) 2 (Slide show), 2

Monday, February 7, 2011

2.7.2011 - News

4 comments

Sketch-style New Year comedy, with a pan-Chinese cast, is up and down.
Super Player poster


Qin Hailu and Wang Qianyuan arrive at Chinese Film Festival in Sydney for Piano in a Factory


Gong Li and Anya - What Women Want (Sina)

Andrew Lin and RZA on set of Man with the Iron Fist
Lin: Hello friends
Wish you all have a Happy New Year. Wish everyone has a prosper year.
 Although I have to spent my new years on a film-set, but it is a very happy and enjoyable film shoot. I am currently working on "Man With Iron Fist" with RZA, and many of our AnDers. All my dear friends are in the same film, Terence yin, Daniel wu, Osric Chau, Grace Huang, Darren Scott, Yoyao Hsueh, Celina Jade. Byron Mann
. (AnD)
RZA and Celina Jade 
Celina Jade and Eli Roth
Celina Jade's father is former martial arts actor, Roy Horan, and now an HKPU lecturer!  (AnD)