China-based sales agent Rediance has picked up international rights to Chinese director Huo Xin’s feature debut Bound In Heaven, which is set to premiere at Toronto before heading to San Sebastian.
Director Huo is a veteran scriptwriter whose credits include acclaimed and hit films such as Shower, Kung Fu Hustle, Sunflower and The Monkey King.
She has assembled a strong cast for her feature debut including Ni Ni of box office hit Lost In The Stars and Zhang Yimou’s The Flowers of War; Zhou You of Jia Zhang-ke’s Caught By The Tides, which also plays at Toronto following its premiere in Competition at Cannes; and Liao Fan, who won the Silver Bear for best actor at the Berlinale in 2014 for his performance in Diao Yinan’s Black Coal, Thin Ice.
The film is a story of love and death, revolving around two lonely souls – a professionally successful woman (Ni Ni) who suffers severe domestic violence from her husband (Liao), and a man with a terminal illness (Zhou) – who become tightly connected after a chance encounter.
Adapted from a Li Xiuwen novel by director Huo, who is also the screenwriter, the film will premiere on September 6 in Toronto’s Centrepiece section and go on to play in San Sebastian’s main competition.
It is produced by Shanghai Such A Good Film, Beijing Alibaba Pictures, which also handles distribution in mainland China, and Ling Light. Executive producer is Gao Nan and producers are An Hanjin and Justine O.
Rediance CEO Xie Meng described the film as “a spellbinding modern take on the classic tale of love and fate, brimming with stark romance and brutal honesty”.
No comments yet