Wong Kar-wai to Direct Drama Series for Amazon

With its rapid expanding in online streaming, Amazon is becoming a strong competitor for Netflix. Recently, Amazon announced a few upcoming projects, including a drama series called ‘Tong Wars’, which will be directed by acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai. Known for his reputation for perfectionism, it remains to be seen how long it will take Wong to compete shooting the series. Read more on Mtime

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Hera International Film Festival Launched in Qingdao China

On September 9, a press conference was held in Chinese city Qingdao as a part of the 2017 Asian Film & Television Culture Summit to introduce the Hera International Film Festival (HIFF). HIFF is organized by French film industry veterans Alain Jalladeau and Pierre Rissient, and will take place in Qingdao from September 8-17, 2018. The festival is designed primarily as a a platform for cultural exchange, targeting at expanding the knowledge of the worldwide film industry. Read more on Mtime

‘Farewell My Concubine’ Director Chen Kaige Introduces His Upcoming Film at TIFF

Chinese director Chen Kaige attends the Toronto International Film Festival as a juror for the festival’s “Platform” section. Meanwhile, he held a press conference on September 10 to introduce his upcoming film ‘Legend of the Demon Cat’ to TIFF attendees. The film is a fantasy mystery film based on the novel Samana Kukai by Japanese writer Yoneyama Mineo. It is scheduled to open across China in December 2017. Read more on Baijiahao

Variety Show ‘The Rap of China’ Inspires Feng Xiaogang to Direct a Musical Comedy Drama

On September 9, the finale of the phenomenal Chinese variety show ‘The Rap of China’ is released on streaming site iQiyi. China’s box office king Feng Xiaogang appeared in this episode and announced that he planned to collaborate with iQiyi to direct a musical comedy drama. iQiyi has partnered with Feng before, participating in the production of Feng’s latest film ‘Youth’. Pop star and iQiyi’s Chief Experience Office Kris Wu expressed his interest in joining the film as well. Read more on China.com

Recommended Reading By Fergus Ryan Feng Xiaogang’s ‘Youth’ Enters Toronto International Film Festival By Fergus Ryan

China’s Cultural Investment Holdings Co to Acquire Hairun Media and Entertainment Group

Cultural Investment Holdings Co announces that the company will acquire Chinese movie and TV production company Hairun Media. Formerly known as Song Liao Automotive Co, Cultural Investment Holdings Co is a state-owned company that was mainly engaged in the construction materials trading and e-commerce trading business before 2015. The company is well known for its engagement with celebrities during its expansion into the entertainment industry. In 2016, many high profile celebrities, such as Jackie Chan, Su Li, and Li Bingbing attended the company’s renaming ceremony. Publicly available documents indicate that actress Su Li is also a shareholder of Hairun media, owning 2.37 stake in the company. Read more on Ent Group