‘Dying to Survive’ is inspired by the true story of Lu Yong (right), who purchased cheaper yet ‘illegal’ anti-cancer drugs from India for himself and thousands of other Chinese chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients.
Success of ‘Dying to Survive’ Unveils Market Potential for Movies Based on Actual Events
The success of local dark comedy, Dying to Survive, is a good indicator that China is in need of films that reflect important issues in the society. As movies based on actual events can often fall into this category, an increasing number of investors and producers start looking for engaging real-life stories that have the potential to resonate with a broad audience. Currently, the number of journalists who report on real-life stories of ordinary people is actually decreasing in China. However, the expansion of social media makes many real and engaging stories available to be discovered, which might provide the opportunity for movies based on actual events to flourish. Read more on entgroup.cn
iQiyi Acquires Game Developer Skymoons
On July 17, leading Chinese video site iQiyi announced that the company would acquire Chinese mobile game developer Skymoons Digital Entertainment Co.. iQiyi will pay 1.27 billion yuan for the acquisition with the possibility of paying an extra 730 million yuan in the case of Skymoons reaching certain specified goals within next two years. According the Skymoons’ official website, the company is headquartered in Chengdu. It specializes in developing and distributing mobile games, and has released several hit games. Read more on 36Kr
Chinese Parents Call for Film Rating System
It’s the summer moviegoing season again when many parents take their children to the movie theater for fun cultural experience. However, in China, going to the movies can sometimes become an awkward or even upsetting experience due to lack of film rating system in the country. Even though some parents spend a lot of effort researching, watching trailer, reading synopsis and reviews to gain an idea about a film’s content, they might still encounter unexpected violent and sexual scenes, which are inappropriate for their children to watch. As an increasing number of people go to the movies on a relatively regular basis in China, more and more parents urgently request the government to set up a film rating system. Read more on 163.com
