Meet the Chinese Animated ‘Mulan’ Flipping the Script on Disney’s Film

Tom Grater International Film ReporterProminent Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke has announced he is departing the Pingyao International Film Festival, which he co-founded four years ago.The fest has not yet made an official statement but the director made the surprise announcement yesterday during the closing day of the fourth edition, telling local media he was looking for the event to “get rid of Ji Zhangke’s shadow and let it gain independent vitality” and that he was opting to “leave when it

Jake Kanter International TV EditorBBC Studios has inked a “multi-year” co-production and content sales deal with Chinese entertainment platform Bilibili, which aims to bring UK content to China and Chinese programming to the world.Under the agreement, Bilibili has already committed to co-producing BBC Studios’ landmark natural history shows The Green Planet, Dynasties II and The Mating Game. A new science series is also on the agenda, titled Odyssey into the Future and featuring Chinese author

Kaleem Aftab The Lumiere Film Festival paid homage to Greek actress, singer and politician Melina Mercouri this week with a mini-retrospective on what would have been the centenary of her birth.The centerpiece event was a screening Thursday of “Never on Sunday,” the 1960 musical drama directed by and co-starring her regular collaborator, husband Jules Dassin, who was put on the Hollywood Blacklist for being a member of the Communist Party, and moved to Europe.Mercouri and Dassin met at the

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorCBS All Access has set the voice cast for The Harper House, its upcoming adult animated comedy series from China, IL creator Brad Neely, Katie Krentz (Star Trek: Lower Decks), CBS Television Studios and 219 Productions.Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul), Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) and newcomer Ryan Flynn (Stupidface) will star as the Harper family, with VyVy Nguyen (Young Sheldon), Lance Krall (Fameless), Roberta Colindrez (Vida),

The Vatican is in the process of renewing a deal with the Chinese Communist Party, raising concerns among U.S. officials and human rights advocates who note that China is one of the most dangerous places on the planet to be Christian.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefIQIYI’s drama series “The Bad Kids” has landed a slot on Japanese pay-TV platform Wowow, a first for a contemporary, mainland Chinese show. It is expected to play out from early 2021.Where many Chinese dramas run for between 40 and 80 episodes, “The Bad Kids” comprises 12 50-minute episodes, structred as a suspense series that tells the story of three youngsters in a small coastal town.

The live-action remake of “Mulan” has not been the wide success anyone expected, especially Disney. Not only did the film get a lukewarm critical reception, but the film was met with political controversy nearly as soon as “Mulan” debuted on Disney+ last month, when viewers noticed the end credits included “special thanks” to several government entities in the Xinjiang region in China, which has been the site of several human rights abuses.

Rebecca Davis editorDisney’s president of film production Sean Bailey defended the controversial credits for the new live-action “Mulan” film, which thanked Chinese government entities directly involved in perpetuating human rights abuses in Xinjiang, as being part of “standard practice across the film industry worldwide,” according to a letter addressed to and posted online by prominent British politician Iain Duncan Smith.The reply from @DisneyStudios regarding the filming of #Mulan in

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticYou may not have noticed it, what with so much content coming out on Netflix each week, but the company has been ramping up big time on original animation over the past two years. From last year’s Oscar nominee “I Lost My Body” to internal productions “The Willoughbys” and “Klaus,” Netflix’s cartoon offerings have already reached a point to rival Pixar and DreamWorks.

Tattu, in Hardman Square, in Spinningfields, is celebrating the new season with the launch of its latest winter a la carte menu.Developed in partnership with executive chef Andrew Lassetter, it features 11 new and returning favourite dishes from dim sum and small plates, as well as a host of indulgent desserts.The Winter at Tattu menu has been inspired by the Chinese waterfall legend, which tells a story of overcoming adversity and showing resilience and strength, which Tattu felt delivers a

Nancy Tartaglione International Box Office Editor/Senior ContributorScreen Media has acquired all North American rights to the Simon West-directed Skyfire.

Dave McNary Film ReporterScreen Media has bought all North American rights to “Skyfire,” China’s first big-budget disaster movie, from Highland Film Group and plans to release the film in theaters and on demand in December.“Skyfire” is directed by Simon West and stars Jason Isaacs (“Hotel Mumbai”), Hannah Quinlivan (“Skyscraper”), Xueqi Wang (“Iron Man 3”) and Shawn Dou (“Wolf Totem”).

HONG KONG -- A 700-year-old Chinese painted scroll from the Yuan Dynasty fetched 306.6 million Hong Kong dollars ($41.8 million) at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong.The 6.6-feet scroll, titled “Five Drunken Princes Returning on Horseback” is by Ren Renfa, a renowned Chinese artist and government official.The painting depicts the princes riding horses, together with four attendants.

Rebecca Davis editorThe Pingyao International Film Festival, founded by Chinese helmer Jia Zhangke and former Venice head Marco Muller, has released its full lineup of global and local films. The selections in the two main sections focus on first or second features.

Peter Debruge Chief Film CriticLike “Ne Zha” — 2019’s monumental computer-animated box office hit — similarly spectacular CG epic “Jiang Ziya” concludes with nearly 10 minutes of credits: a dense scroll of names amounting to a virtual army of animators, punctuated by extra scenes and teasers for upcoming projects from Chinese distributor Beijing Enlight Pictures.

Rebecca Davis editorThe fourth annual Pingyao International Film Festival will run as an in-person event from Oct.