Hong Kong's Salon Films is co-producing a slate of films with pan-Asian partners including a sequel to Ang Lee's 1994 Eat Drink Man Woman with producer Hsu Li-kong's Taipei-based Zoom Hunt International.

The $2.9m contemporary drama will be co-written by Hsu, who was a producer on the original. The planned cast includes Barbie Hsu and Eat Drink Man Woman star Gua Ah-lei.

Hsuwas also a producer on Ang Lee's 1993The Wedding Banquet andCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Among other projects, Salon has also signed with Japanese talent agency and producer Yoshimoto Kogyo Co to co-develop an action combat series tentatively called Sengoku, which will include a feature film, TV drama and reality TV show about combat contests.

Salon had earlier signed a three-film deal with Hengdian andAustralia's Adelaide Motion Pictures Co (see separate story).

In addition, Salon will be providing production services on a live-action version of Mulan, based on the Chinese folk-tale, which was made world famous by the 1998 Disney animated feature. The film is being produced by Canada's Movie Plus with China Film Group and Xinhua Media Entertainment.

Salon Films announced at Hong Kong Filmart in March that it would establish an Asian film alliance to co-produce international films.

In addition to Salon's previously announced partnerssuch asSingapore's Raintree Pictures, Hengdian Film Productions andYoshimoto Kogyo, additional companies includingZoom Hunt International, New York-based Count to Eleven Productions and Korean broadcaster SBS joined the alliance yesterday in Hengdian.

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