Killers to become closing film of Shanghai International Film Festival

Beijing and Los Angeles based DMG Entertainment, the company that introduces the film to China, announced the news today.

“The tone of this romantic action comedy has just the sort of identifiable traits in American projects that can be appreciated and enjoyed by the Chinese people,” says DMG Entertainment CEO Dan Mintz.

Organizers of SIFF confirmed the selection of Killers as its closing night film. The festival normally chooses a Chinese film as its opening film and a foreign film as closing film. Being selected as the closing film normally means a green light from the Chinese authority to import the film into China market.

China Film Group, the country’s only film importer is yet to decide if the company will officially import the film as one of the 20 films imported on a revenue-sharing basis, according to Weng Li, spokesperson of the group.  However, it is understood that the film is being considered by the company’s selection committee. 

Once receiving a greenlight to enter China as one of the revenue-sharing films, it will be the first of Lionsgate’s films to enter China and get to share the film’s box office takings in China. Normally, blockbusters from major studios get to be selected as revenue-sharing films.

Last year, DMG worked with China Film Group and introduced Summit’s Knowing to China as a revenue-sharing film, the first for Summit. In late 2009 DMG worked with China Film Group to import Twilight on a flat-fee basis.

Starting from 2009, DMG Entertainment has invested in several Chinese-language hits including China Film Group’s historical drama The Founding of the Republic, and romantic comedy Go La La Go.

DMG is also responsible for producing Chinese filmmaker Ning Hao’s No Man’s Land, due for release later this year, and the remake of What Women Want, together with Bona International Film Group. The film is currently in production, directed by Chen Daming.