3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy - the 3D softcore sex film that broke Avatar's opening day record in Hong Kong - has found itself an American Distributor, with producers selling rights in North America to China Lion, the company that has been specializing in day-and-date North American releases of Chinese films timed to coincide with the Chinese releases. Obviously that would not be the case here, as the film has already released in Hong Kong and several other territories. Regardless of the rights deal there are even questions about whether China Lion will be able to screen the film at all given that their exhibition deal is with AMC - who do not screen NC-17 films - and there is a fighting chance that Sex And Zen may garner an NC-17 rating.
There are a number of unanswered questions on this but check the press release below for what we do know and the uncensored trailer below that for a taste of what's coming. Try not to think about that last bit too much.
CHINA LION GETS SEXY! INKS DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR SEX AND ZEN 3D FOR NORTH AMERICA
LOS ANGELES, CA May 25, 2011
China Lion Film Distribution has announced that they have concluded a North American distribution deal at the Cannes market for the Chinese erotic blockbuster 'Sex and Zen 3D : Extreme Ecstasy'.The film has broken box office records since its release in Australia, New Zealand & Hong Kong with opening week sessions completely sold out. In Australia, the film took $600K in its first week on just 9 screens for a whopping per screen average of $67K per screen, more than 6 times the per screen average of Scream 4 which opened the same week.
The pic has racked up some $1.1M in 6 weeks in the territory for a staggering $122K per screen average. In comparison Fast & Furious 5 has a per screen average of $114K. In New Zealand opening week saw a per screen average of $24K while the opening week of Pirates of Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has just managed to catch Sex & Zen also on $24K per screen.
In Hong Kong, the film beat the opening days grosses of 'Avatar' and 'Titanic' with $US351K. The picture received an R18 (Restricted to 18 year olds and above) in both Australia & New Zealand with censors ordering no cuts.
The erotic costume drama film is an adaptation of the classical novel The Carnal Prayer Mat depicting the sexual exploits of a young scholar named Wei Yangsheng. It is produced by Stephen Shiu, the executive producer of its predecessor film. The film was promoted as "the world's first 3-D erotic film". Producer Stephen Shiu Yeuk-Yuen described the experience of watching this film onscreen: "It is just like [being a] voyeur near someone's bed."
Release dates and locations for North America are yet to be set.
China Lion CEO Milt Barlow remarked, "We're looking at a wide as possible release for this ground breaking film in Nth America and are currently working with our theatrical partners AMC for the US and Toronto , Cineplex for Vancouver and Consolidated in Hawaii. on dating and locations. Announcements are expected in the next few weeks. We believe this film will play a lot wider than our traditional Chinese audience in key cities and are looking to exploit those opportunities."
Belinda Inacio Lam who repped the picture for Pegasus Motion Pictures commented "I have worked with Milt and his team on a number of Chinese pictures over the years and so China Lion was a natural choice for us for North American releasing. We believe, as it has done in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, that the film will go on to set box office records in North America."