AFTERSHOCK Trigger Wave Of Chinese Films Receiving Day-And-Date Releases In US

In a fantastic piece of news for fans of Chinese language film, distributor China Lion has struck a deal with AMC to bring Chinese blockbusters to US screens simultaneously to their release in China. It's a deal very similar to how AMC currently handles Indian releases and provides a solution better both for fans - as they get to see the films on the big screen without the lengthy lag required by traditional distribution - and for producers who cut out piracy concerns by releasing quickly. Here's the official announcement.

Los Angeles (Oct. 12, 2010) China Lion Film Distribution Inc (China Lion) announces today an exclusive   partnership  with  AMC  Entertainment  Inc.  (AMC),  a  leading  theatrical  exhibition  and entertainment company, to introduce mainstream Chinese movies in the United States and select Canadian provinces.

China Lion is a joint venture between president and majority shareholder, China-based Jiang Yanming and New Zealand-based Incubate, Milt Barlow's company. Barlow acts as CEO of China Lion. Yanming has operated in the motion picture business in China for more than 30 years and is a founder of Technicolor Beijing as well as a veteran Chinese producer. Barlow is a 25-year veteran of distribution in Australia and New Zealand and served as CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment in Australia for, more than a decade.

For the past two years Barlow's company, has been contracted to manage the distribution of Chinese movies in Australia and New Zealand for EVENT Cinemas. New Zealand was the first territory outside Asia to reintroduce mainstream Chinese and other Asian movies to a theatrical audience. To date, EVENT has screened more than 30 Chinese films at its multiplex locations and 'Cinema Asia'™ is now a regular programming feature.

This deal will see China Lion supply up to 15 films per year exclusively to AMC in the United States and to AMC  in  Toronto and Ottawa. In most cases, all the films will release day-and-date with China. The exclusive  arrangement with  AMC  will  begin  on  Oct.  29  with  the  release  of  the  Chinese  mega-hit, AFTERSHOCK. The film has grossed $100 million (USD) in China domestically, making it the biggest local film in Chinese box office history. China has just announced that the film will be its official selection for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Oscars.

AMC will play the film on 23 screens in key markets with a large Chinese demographic, namely New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C. , Houston, Boston,  Seattle, Toronto and Ottawa. Release  schedules are being finalized for the rest of 2010 and early 2011, with China Lion expected to announce significant acquisitions at this year's America Film Market.

Clearly Aftershock itself is not coming day and date, as it has already released in China, but future titles should be.