Turning toward Asia
Warners to begin lensing 1st Chinese pic
Pic, starring Takeshi Kaneshiro, will shoot in Taiwan and then continue in Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai ("The Mission," "Running Out of Time," "Needing You") will write and direct pic, based on the bestselling illustrated love story of the same name by renowned Taiwanese author-artist Jimmy Liao.
Story concerns a lonely man (Kaneshiro) and a lonely woman (Gigi Leung) who live in the same apartment building but never meet due to their quirky comings and goings. Following a chance meeting at a park, a series of events and bad luck conspire to keep the would-be lovers apart as each makes plans to change his or her life and leave the past behind.
Warner Bros. will produce pic in association with Raintree Pictures of Singapore and To's production company Milkyway Image. Warner Bros. will distribute pic worldwide.
"It is an honor to be working with such esteemed talents as Johnnie To and Wai Ka-fai, especially on our first foray into Chinese-language film production," said Richard Fox, exec VP of international for Warner Bros.
"We've long been fans of their work and feel this film, which combines a property embraced by readers throughout Asia with an excellent cast and extremely talented directors with a passion for the material, is the perfect entry into China's local-language film marketplace."
Added To: " 'Turn Left, Turn Right' marks the first time Milkyway Image has collaborated with a major American studio. We're excited to be working with Warner Bros. Pictures and are confident this collaboration will reinvigorate the Chinese film market and open up new possibilities for the Chinese film industry."
Pic marks first Chinese-language feature project for Warner Bros. after studio announced in September that it had entered into an agreement with two Chinese companies and a Hong Kong-based partner to develop, produce and distribute "The Swordsmen," a slate of 10 Mandarin-language telepics currently completing shooting in northwest China.
Chinese-lingo pic is part of Warner Bros.' ongoing strategy to make local language product in respective territories.
To date these include the French language pic "Un long dimanche de fiancailles," penned and being directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet; a four-pic distribution deal with Christian Fechner; the division's first Italian-lingo pic, "Febbre da Cavallo -- La Mandrakata" from Carlo and Enrico Vanzina; and work as a production partner with Carlo Verdone's Virginia Films on "Ma che colpa abbiamo noi" ("It Can't Be All Our Fault").
