China’s streaming platform iQiyi is collaborating with Malaysia’s GSC Movies and Singapore’s Clover Films to expand the distribution networks for its Chinese-language films and expedite their theatrical release.
Through this partnership, Trending Topic, directed by Xin Yukun and starring Zhou Dongyu, Yuan Hong and Song Yang, will hit cinemas in Singapore and Malaysia on December 7, immediately after its opening on December 1 in mainland China.
Further iQiyi titles set for release in both Singapore and Malaysia are Chen Zhuo’s The Invisible Guest, the Chinese remake of the Spanish thriller hit that stars Greg Hsu, Janine Chang, Kara Wai and Yin Zheng, and Marc Ma’s Wolf Hiding, with Nick Cheung, Ethan Juan and Wang Talu.
“This collaboration not only enables us to cater to the local audience’s appetite for Chinese-language films but also ensures timely access to new releases,” said Yang Xianghua, president of movie and overseas business group of iQiyi. He has witnessed a growing demand for Chinese-language content since the Chinese company started overseas distribution in 2017. Recent films that iQiyi has backed and distributed include Break Through the Darkness, Hachiko, and Ping Pong: The Triumph. iQiyi is majority-owned by China’s search engine Baidu.
“China movie productions have made significant advancements, setting new standards in terms of production scale and storytelling,” noted Esther Hau, head of distribution and co-production from GSC Movies, which is the largest independent film distributor in Malaysia and is wholly-owned by Malaysia’s largest cinema chain Golden Screen Cinemas.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to continue our collaboration with iQIYI and deliver quality content to Singapore audiences,” added Lim Teck, managing director of Clover Films. The Singapore-based distributor-producer has previously teamed up with iQiyi on a slate of Mandarin-language films by directors from Singapore, with the first being Ong Kuo Sin’s Reunion Dinner, which was released in Singapore and had its online debut on iQiyi in January 2022.
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