Santa Monica-based Lightning Entertainment has picked up all non-English language rights to the Vietnamese hit The Rebel (Dong Mau Anh Hung).

Charlie Nguyen's film is the largest production to come out of Vietnam and follows the exploits of a 1920s spy for the French who tires of betraying his country.

Johnny Tri Nguyen, Ngo Thanh Van, Dustin Tri Nguyen, Nguyen Chanh Tin and Nguyen Thang star. Nguyen wrote the screenplay with Johnny Tri Nguyen and Dominic Pereira.

Jimmy Pham Nghiem, Johnny Tri Nguyen and Nguyen produced.

The Weinstein Company has English-speaking rights.

'When you combine spectacular martial arts, action, romance and drama at the level of The Rebel, you have a recipe for an epic action film that transcends nationalities,' Lightning co-president Richard Guardian said.

'The film is rich in culture and context and the amazing chemistry creates purely great cinema that captivates audiences.'

Guardian and senior vice president of acquisitions Joseph Dickstein negotiated the deal with The Institution's Nguyen 'Wyn' Tran and Traction Media's Maren Olson and Doug Stone.

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