DAILY BRIEF
NEWS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS
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Chinese Communists Lash Out At Yet Another Cartoon, Calling It "Subversive" To The State
The state censorship apparatus is so meticulous in its review of every movie distributors propose for release in the PRC that the odds of a subversive or politically offensive movie slipping through their web are extremely slim. Forbes
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'The Founding of an Army' ('Jian Jun Da Ye'): Film Review
Hong Kong helmer Andrew Lau ('Infernal Affairs') turns a state-backed celebration of the Chinese military into a genre-infused blockbuster. The Hollywood Reporter
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What U.S. Brands Are Most at Risk From a Possible China Trade War?
U.S. companies need to prepare for greater tension between the Trump administration and China. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross opened high-level economic talks on July 19 by scolding China over its trade surplus. Ad Age
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China’s Tough-Talking Theme-Park Mogul Surrenders to Minnie Mouse
Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin visited Shanghai Disneyland last fall to see for himself attractions drawn from the Disney catalog, from Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean to Snow White and the other fairy-tale princesses. The Wall Street Journal
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China Bars Justin Bieber From Performing Over ‘Bad Behavior’
Justin Bieber’s Purpose Tour has been called a “world apology tour” intended to show a more mature side of a pop singer whose antics have drawn embarrassing headlines over the years. But in the eyes of Chinese officials, the young heartthrob still has some growing up to do. The New York Times
HEADLINES FROM CHINA
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Xining FIRST International Film Festival Opened with Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Wind River’
Xining FIRST International Film Festival, a Chinese film festival dedicated to discovering and exhibiting films by emerging filmmakers across the globe, opened on July 21 with American filmmaker Taylor Sheridan’s directorial debut ‘Wind River’. The film received positive reviews from the press and film critics after the opening screening. Acquired by the Weinstein Company at Cannes Film Festival, ‘Wind River’ is scheduled to be released in the US on August 4, 2017. Mtime
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Alibaba’s Online Ticketing Site Tao Piao Piao Grossed RMB 7.3 Billion in the First Half of 2017
China’s online ticketing sites have been actively participating in film distribution and marketing in order to increase market share and expand revenue sources. For the first half of 2017, Alibaba’s Tao Piao Piao participated in the distribution, promotion, and online ticket sales of 11 films and grossed RMB 7.3 billion, ranking No.1 among China’s online ticketing sites. According to this article from China News, big data plays an important role in Tao Piao Piao’s success. China News
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Which Cities Hinder China's Box Office Growth
China’s total box office revenue increased less than 4% in the first half of 2017, and this number disapointed many. According to China’s box office data from 2015-2017, film market was expanding in cities across China in 2016. However, in 2017, the market was only growing in tier three, tier four, and tier five Chinese cities. Many tier one and tier two cities’ box office even decreased. Ent Group
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‘Brotherhood of Blades II’ Has Surpassed ‘Brotherhood of Blades’ in Box Office
Released on July 19, ‘Brotherhood of Blades II: The Infernal Battlefield’ grossed RMB 134 million after 4 days in theater, and has surpassed the series’ first installment ‘Brotherhood of Blades.’ In addition to succeeding in box office, the film also receives positive reviews from the audience. Plots and lines from the film are heatedly discussed on the internet. Some plot analyses written by audiences even amazed the director of the film. Mtime
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Coloroom CEO Says 95 Percent Chinese Animation Companies are not Making Money
Chinese animation ‘Monkey King: Hero is Back’ achieved unexpected success in the summer of 2015 with total box office RMB 957 million. Since then, which animation film will become the next ‘Monkey King’ is a hot topic discussed every summer in China. While China’s animation sector has been rapidly expanding in recent years, most of the domestic productions barely break even. In an interview with nbd news, CEO of Coloroom Pictures says “let me be straightforward, 95 percent Chinese animation companies are not making money.” nbd News