Star Chinese Movies, owned by pan-Asian broadcaster Star, has unveiled a slate of acquisitions that it will screen over the coming year.

The slate includes Hong Kong director Ann Hui’s The Way We Are, which won several prizes at the recent Hong Kong Film Awards; Taiwanese mega-hit Cape No. 7, and mainland China’s top-grossing film ever, If You Are The One, directed by Feng Xiaogang (see full list below).

The acquisitions follow the appointment of former Imagi International Holdings and Media Asia executive, Cora Yim, as vice president of programming.

“As the dominant Chinese movie channel in the region, we are not resting on our laurels but are always aiming to support Chinese filmmaking and to provide the best Chinese movie entertainment to our audiences in the region,” said Yim.

“In addition to providing diversified movie features, our channel will be launching more campaigns and programmes to drive new subscriptions and retain our loyal customers.”

Star Chinese Movies invests $12.9m (HK$100m) annually in acquiring pay-TV rights to Chinese-language films. It was the top-rating Chinese movie channel in Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines in the first quarter of 2009, according to local TNS and AGB Nielsen ratings services.

The new slate includes:

  • Ann Hui’s The Way We Are and its follow-up, Night And Fog.
  • Taiwanese director Wei Te-sheng’s CapeNo.7.
  • Dante Lam’s The Beast Stalker, starring Nick Cheung.
  • Feng Xiaogang’s If You Are The One.
  • Andrew Lau’s Look For A Star, starring Andy Lau and Shu Qi.
  • Alan Mak and Felix Chong’s Lady Cop & Papa Crook.
  • Connected, starring Louis Koo and directed by Benny Chan.
  • Gordon Chan’s Painted Skin, starring Donnie Yen.
  • All five titles from the Tactical Unit series produced by Johnnie To.

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