Distribution Workshop, the Hong Kong-based sales arm of Chinese studio Bona Film Group, is attending Filmart with a slate of hot new projects including gangster thriller The Last Tycoon starring Chow Yun Fat.

To be directed by Wong Jing, the film tells the story of a real-life gangster Du Yuesheng who built his crime empire in Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s. Infernal Affairs director Andrew Lau will produce and Peter Pau is on board as DoP. The cast will also include martial arts maestro Sammo Hung.

The project, previously known as Grand Shanghai (Da Shanghai), is currently in pre-production.

Also new on Distribution Workshop’s slate is Christmas Rose, the directorial debut of Hong Kong actress Charlie Yeung, which was selected as a HAF project in 2009. Aaron Kwok, Xia Yu, and Kwai Lun-mei will star in the film which also has Wing Shya on board as production designer and Henry Chung as DoP.

At the time of its HAF selection, Oxide Pang was on board as producer, but Tsui Hark and Jacob Cheung will now produce the $3.5m project. Pre-production is scheduled to start in April.

In addition, Distribution Workshop will introduce David Hsun-wei Chang’s action comedy Double Trouble at a Filmart press conference on Tuesday. Currently in post-production, the film stars Jaycee Chan, Xia Yu and Jessica C. Chang was assistant director on Tsui’s Detective Dee And The Mystery Of The Phantom Flame.

The sales outfit’s busy slate also includes Joe Ma’s action comedy The Lion Roars 2, starring Cecilia Cheung, Xiao Shen Yang; and recent Berlin Silver Bear winner White Deer Plain. 

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