Chinese distributor Hishow Entertainment is launching a marketing, distribution and exhibition programme, We Love Cinema, to promote arthouse titles in the mainland China market.
The Beijing-based company has also recently acquired Best International Oscar winner, I’m Still Here, directed by Brazilian auteur Walter Salles, along with Salles’ 1998 film Central Station, adding to its expanding roster of prestige titles.
In addition to acquiring specialist titles for mainland China theatrical distribution, the We Love Cinema programme involves building a marketing strategy and loyalty programme for cinema fans. The company is developing online communities and a WeChat mini app through which members can enjoy exclusive contents and bonuses, including early screenings, Q&As with filmmakers, limited edition merchandise and special gifts.
The programme also involves establishing a network of arthouse-friendly cinemas, working towards a platform releasing strategy, starting off with release in a select number of cinemas for each title, potentially expanding wider depending on the performance of each film.
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China’s distribution system usually entails films being made available to all Chinese cinemas simultaneously, with no efforts at audience segmentation. The lack of a platform releasing strategy has been identified as one of the biggest factors holding back the development of an arthouse cinema market in the country.
“The theatres enrolled in the programme will offer adequate and prime-time screenings as well as other promotional support,” Hishow founder Wang Haiyi explained. “It’s a more cost effective system that can more precisely reach its high-value target audience.”
The programme will also include the curation of themed seasons and collections of films from influential directors. “The idea is to bring Chinese film fans a quality experience on the big screen,” Wang said.
In addition to I’m Still Here, company’s upcoming slate also includes Oscar Best Animated Feature nominee Memoir Of A Snail from Australian stop-motion master Adam Elliot as well as his 2009 title Mary And Max.
Hishow has acquired action mystery thriller Reflection In A Dead Diamond, which premiered in Berlinale competition this year, from French directing duo Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani.
Last year, Hishow re-released its Italian classic The Legend Of 1900 and Japanese anime Road To Ninja: Naruto The Movie to encouraging box office results. Hishow’s first China release of The Legend Of 1900, a 4K restoration of the 21-year-old Giuseppe Tornatore film, grossed $20m in 2019.
The company’s library includes French classic Amélie; Iranian Oscar and Golden Bear winner A Separation; 2023 Venice competition entry Io Capitano; The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch; as well as its own production, Yanagawa, which won Best Picture at China’s Golden Rooster Awards.
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