Senior Executive At China’s Bona Film Group Dies At 52

Rebecca Davis editorLondon’s Queer East Film Festival will run a virtual program of four free-to-stream Asian documentaries from July 3-31, as cinema closures due to coronavirus force its regular programming online.The festival typically seeks to bring rarely seen LGBTQ+ films from East and Southeast Asia to the U.K., but this year’s online iteration will be mostly available to viewers worldwide.Its “QE: Docs4Pride” virtual program features selections from the Philippines, China, Taiwan and

There have been no winners in the theatrical film business during the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic —but China, arguably, has been the biggest loser. The country's vast network of 70,000 movie screens has been idle since Jan.

Zhang Yimou is one of the most acclaimed Chinese filmmakers working today.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) has unveiled 22 feature projects shortlisted for its Work-in-Progress Program. The project will take place exclusively online, running Aug.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefChinese streaming giant iQIYI has hired Singaporean executive Kuek Yu-Chuang as VP of international business. He was previously MD for Asia Pacific at Netflix.Reporting to Yang Xianghua, iQIYI’s president of overseas business, Kuek will oversee strategic planning, market development and public affairs in company’s global expansion.Kuek studied at Peking University and later obtained post-graduate degrees from Harvard and INSEAD.

Rebecca Davis editorHuang Wei, the VP of China’s Bona Film Group who managed its cinema division, has died by suicide, jumping from the 18th-floor offices of the company’s Beijing headquarters today, according to multiple Chinese reports.

Shock waves of sorrow ripped through the Chinese film industry on Wednesday as news spread that Huang Wei, an influential and widely liked senior executive at Bona Film Group, leapt to his death from an 18th floor window at the company’s headquarters in central Beijing. Bona released a statement over social media late Wednesday saying that Huang, a vice president at the company who oversaw its cinema division, had died at the age of 52.

Rebecca Davis editorA rare letter of dissent circulating online slammed China’s government for failing to help film industry workers whose livelihoods have been shaken by prolonged coronavirus-imposed shutdowns.Written this weekend as China hit its 136th day since cinemas shuttered nationwide, the letter has spread within film industry circles despite being censored on some platforms. Variety was unable to contact the author or verify its source.

By Dave McNary

By Rebecca Davis

By Klaritza Rico

By Patrick Frater

By Tom Grater