cover of her certified classic “Jolene,” which recently turned 50.“Hey Miss Honey B, it’s Dolly P,” says Parton, 79, with all her familiar, down-home warmth.“You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about?” she continues, referencing the infamous, man-stealing “Becky” from “Lemonade” standout “Sorry.”“Reminding me of someone I knew back when/Except she has flamin’ locks of auburn hair … Just a hair of a different color, but it hurts just the same.”Then Bey takes the mic to deliver a soulful, acoustic-guitar-strumming rendition of Parton’s seminal hit — which, after being released in October 1973, went on to top the country chart as the title track of the singer’s 1974 album.Although it is as country as country gets, there is a bit of a hip-hop thump behind the propulsive beat to let you know that this is still very much a Beyoncé album.And after all the ballroom house beats of the first act of “Renaissance” — which came out in July 2022 — this is Bey unplugged, raw and rootsy, breaking down how betrayal knows no color before a whoop-ass choir backs her up at the end.But Parton isn’t the only country legend who — after Beyoncé hinted that she was not “welcomed” when she performed “Daddy Lessons” with the Chicks at the CMA Awards in 2016 — co-signs on “Cowboy Carter.”O.G. outlaw Willie Nelson appears in two interludes — “Smoke Hour” and “Smoke Hour II” — as the host of a radio show on KNTRY in Beyoncé’s native Texas.
Hong Kong’s Once Mighty Film Industry Grapples With Changing Market & Political Realities
11.03.2024 - 00:17 / deadline.com
As Filmart gets underway, Hong Kong’s major production companies, including Edko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP), Media Asia, One Cool Group and Universe Entertainment, will be unveiling their new titles in enormous booths at the front of the trade show floor, some of which will be as elaborate as film sets.
Many of the films they are launching are big-budget Hong Kong-China co-productions, featuring top Hong Kong stars and directors, and aimed at audiences in both China and Hong Kong. EMP has Derek Kwok’s Raging Havoc, starring Andy Lau and Nicholas Tse; Mandarin Motion Pictures has The Prosecutor, starring and directed by Donnie Yen; and Media Asia is launching four new titles headed by Behind The Scene, produced by Infernal Affairs director Andrew Lau. One Cool’s slate includes a trio of action films starring Louis Koo and produced by Soi Cheang.
But behind all the glamour, stars and action, Hong Kong’s film industry has not been having the easiest time of late. For the past two decades, Hong Kong’s major market has been mainland China – in the early days Hong Kong helped to grow China’s nascent film industry – but now finds itself increasingly squeezed out as China has its own capital, production expertise and stars. While China’s box office has been recovering rapidly since the pandemic, not a single Hong Kong-China co-production made it into the country’s top 20 films in 2023.
Released at the end of last year, EMP’s The Goldfinger, reuniting Infernal Affairs stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau, provided some relief taking $80M at the China box office, while Entertaining Power’s Rob N Roll grossed $32M following its release this January. But these figures pale next to China’s homegrown hits – three
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Ewan McGregor Says Intimacy Coordinator Was ‘Necessary’ to Film Sex Scenes With Wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead: ‘It’s Also About the Crew’
Michaela Zee Ewan McGregor opened up in a recent Radio Times cover story about his experience working with his wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead on “A Gentleman in Moscow.” In particular, McGregor revealed that he and Winstead had an intimacy coordinator on set while filming sex scenes for the new drama series. “It’s still necessary, because it’s also about the crew,” McGregor said.
Cheech and Chong are reuniting for one last film
Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie.The beloved comedy duo, made up of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, have been highly successful with their stand-up shows, studio recordings and feature films since the 1970s, often revolving around their celebration of weed culture.The new film, which is likely to be their final major project together, premiered this week (March 12) at South By Southwest, helmed by director David Bushell, who has previously produced films including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Dallas Buyers Club.Bushell had been talking with Chong’s daughter Robbi Chong about the possibility of convincing the duo to star in one last narrative film together for over 20 years, in the vain of their debut movie Up In Smoke (1978).The project proved problematic, in part due to Chong serving a year in prison in 2003-4 after pleading guilty to charges of conspiring to distribute drug paraphernalia.Eventually, Bushell was successful in convincing them to agree to a career retrospective documentary, which was presented at SXSW without a distributor.“So much of our career has been, we just did what we were told to do,” said Chong, 85, at the premiere (via Rolling Stone). “‘Oh, you want to do a documentary on us? Ok, when do you need me to show up?’ It’s an extension of what we’ve been doing for years.
How Hong Kong Star Louis Koo’s Empire Goes Beyond Big Screen Hits
Faye Bradley Actor Louis Koo is a household name in Hong Kong but off-screen, he’s an influential entertainment industry investor, producer and entrepreneur. Rising to prominence during the “golden age” of Hong Kong cinema, Koo built a respected career over the decades but less flashy are his businesses and investments. One Cool Group is one such revenue stream.
Entertainment Industry Leaders Discuss Adapting Anime IP and Collaborating With Chinese Filmmakers at the FILMART Variety Lounge in Hong Kong
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Naomi Watts Walks with Great Dane While Filming 'The Friend' with Ann Dowd in NYC
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China’s Linmon Pictures Readying ‘Second Sister’ Adaptation, Hong Kong-Set Crime Series ‘Hate Coin’
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Linmon Pictures, one of the most outward-looking mainland Chinese entertainment firms, is preparing premium series “Hate Coin.” The show is being produced in association with Jonathan Wong and Justina Shih’s production company Octagon Metatainment, a Hong Kong-based multimedia studio. “Hate Coin” is based on international best-selling novel “Second Sister,” by successful Hong Kong novelist Chan Ho Kei, whose previous book “The Borrowed” was a crime story that panned five-decades. The story follows the activities of a young woman whose school-age sister appeared to have committed suicide. Suspecting foul play, the woman trams up with a manipulative hacker and cybersecurity expert to try to dig deeper. “What follows is a cat and mouse game through the city of Hong Kong and its digital underground, especially an online gossip platform, where someone has been slandering Siu-Man.
Hong Kong Selects First Projects for Streaming Development Funding
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Hong Kong Design Institute Launches City’s Largest Virtual Production Studio
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Hong Kong Horror Comedy ‘The Vampire of Sheung Shui,’ With Indian Protagonist, Sets HAF Debut
Naman Ramachandran Shreyom Ghosh’s “The Vampire of Sheung Shui” is unique in that it is a Hong Kong-set horror-comedy with a protagonist of Indian origin. It has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart. Written by D.F.W.
‘Lilting,’ ‘Monsoon’ Filmmaker Hong Khaou Unveils Hong Kong-Set Epidemic Drama ‘Walled City’
Naman Ramachandran Acclaimed filmmaker Hong Khaou‘s “Walled City” has been selected for the 22nd Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with FilMart. Khaou’s debut, “Lilting” (2014), starring Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei-pei, premiered in the world cinema dramatic competition at Sundance, winning best cinematography. “Monsoon” (2019), his second feature, starred Henry Golding and premiered in competition at Karlovy Vary.
Hirokazu Kore-eda On His Next Project, A Samurai-Focused Streaming Series & Why Japan’s Film Industry Is In Danger: “Staff Are Not Making A Living”
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China’s Alibaba To Invest $640M In Hong Kong Content Industry; Signs Strategic Partnership With Media Asia
Chinese tech and media giant Alibaba is investing $640M (HK$5BN) into Hong Kong’s creative industries over the next five years.
China’s Alibaba Commits $640 Million to Hong Kong Film, TV Development
The move was announced on the first day of FilMart, the annual rights market for the Asian industries, at an event attended by Fan Luyuan, chairman and CEO of Alibaba’s digital media and entertainment unit, and Kevin Yeung, the Hong Kong government’s secretary for culture, sports and tourism. Alibaba’s Hong Kong Cultural and Art Industry Revitalization Program “will focus on film production and distribution, rights acquisitions, TV series production, investments in concerts, collaboration with performance venues and talent development, etc.
Hong Kong FilMart’s Expansion Is Built on Hopes of China’s Entertainment Engagement
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief COVID, changing money flows and a new superpower Cold War of sorts may have, over the past few years, helped to reduce the connections between the film and TV industries of China and the rest of the world — so, will the 2024 edition of FilMart, whose organizers continue to claim bridgehead status, be the market to increase those connections? Candas Yeung, the Trade Development Council associate director who takes over as head of FilMart this year, says that visitor and exhibitor numbers have crept up again this year — to an anticipated 7,500 and 715, respectively — and that fully 40% of market participants hail from mainland China. “That’s a pretty significant proportion and they are very active in the market, both buying and selling, and making some announcements,” Yeung says.
FilMart: European Film Sales Agents See Strength in Numbers, as EFP and Unifrance Umbrella Stands Reopen at Hong Kong Market
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Oscar contenders and Berlin prize-winners will be among the European films being represented by visiting companies to FilMart that are making use of the European Film Promotion umbrella stand within the annual Hong Kong market. In total 29 European film sales companies are making the trip, including more than a dozen from France under the Unifrance banner. Prominent rights brokers include Charades, Goodfellas, Fandango and Filmax.