#Venice: Japanese Director Neo Sora’s Acclaimed Debut ‘Happyend’ Sells to Metrograph for U.S. Distribution

#Venice: Japanese Director Neo Sora’s Acclaimed Debut ‘Happyend’ Sells to Metrograph for U.S. Distribution

Metrograph Pictures has snapped up North American distribution rights to Japanese director Neo Sora’s fictional feature debut Happyend, a high school delinquent drama with shades of political dystopia. The film has proved a hit with critics at the Venice Film Festival, where it premiered earlier this week in the event’s Horizons section.  Following its debut in…

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#Validus, a Singapore-based digital SME lending platform, secures M debt financing to help enterprises in Indonesia

#Validus, a Singapore-based digital SME lending platform, secures $50M debt financing to help enterprises in Indonesia

Validus, a Singapore-based digital lending platform for small and medium businesses, has secured $50 million in debt financing from HSBC under the ASEAN Growth Fund strategy. Validus will use the proceeds to support the financial inclusion of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia, addressing the challenges they face in accessing financial resources. With…

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#Thai Blockbuster ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’ Scores Theatrical Releases in North America, China and Europe

#Thai Blockbuster ‘How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies’ Scores Theatrical Releases in North America, China and Europe

Thailand’s biggest movie of 2024, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, will soon attempt a feat few commercial films from the country have tried before: Conquering cinemas worldwide. Produced by the hitmaking Bangkok-based studio GDH, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies has struck a chord with its irreverent take on the story of a…

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#Warner Bros. Discovery Inks First-Look Deal with Former Exec Jack Nguyen, Sets Korean Remake of ‘The Intern’

#Warner Bros. Discovery Inks First-Look Deal with Former Exec Jack Nguyen, Sets Korean Remake of ‘The Intern’

Warner Bros. Discovery has signed a first-look film deal in Asia with company veteran Jack Nguyen. The agreement, revealed Monday, was set up through Nguyen’s startup production banner Joat Films and will focus on Asia-focussed remakes of Warner Bros’ English-language library titles. The two partners said their first project under the pact will be a…

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#Chinese Auteur Jia Zhang-ke’s ‘Caught By the Tides’ Sells to Sideshow, Janus Films for U.S. Distribution

#Chinese Auteur Jia Zhang-ke’s ‘Caught By the Tides’ Sells to Sideshow, Janus Films for U.S. Distribution

Sideshow and Janus Films have snapped up U.S. distribution rights to Chinese master filmmaker Jia Zhangke’s latest feature Caught by the Tides, which premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The two distributors said they will “release the film exclusively in theaters in the coming months.” Caught by the Tides is composed almost…

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#Yao Chen on the Search for Chinese Talent in Shanghai and the Bond She’s Formed with the UFC’s Zhang Weili

#Yao Chen on the Search for Chinese Talent in Shanghai and the Bond She’s Formed with the UFC’s Zhang Weili

Officially, Yao Chen was a part of the team judging the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival’s Projects initiative for in-development productions, but the actress-producer freely admits she came to town keen — as ever — to take on as many roles as possible. Yao was also actively seeking out production opportunities for her Bad Rabbit Pictures,…

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#Imax Expands Partnership with China’s Wanda Film

#Imax Expands Partnership with China’s Wanda Film

Imax Corporation and Wanda Film, China’s largest movie exhibitor, are deepening their longstanding partnership with a new deal to upgrade technology and collaborate on future events and experiences. Wanda Film is already Imax’s biggest exhibition partner in the world, with 381 Imax locations in operation across China — and another 19 already on the way. The deal…

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