Huayi Brothers, Peter Chan’s Shine Focus, Edko Films and now TV jointly launch now Popcorn Movie Channel featuring Chinese movies to develop the local and overseas markets
Showcasing first-run local blockbusters and premiere Asian movies round the clock
HONG KONG, February 17, 2012 – Huayi Brothers International Limited (“Huayi Brothers”), Peter Chan’s Shine Focus, Edko Films Limited (“Edko Films”), and now TV today announce the forming of a joint venture to launch a new movie channel, now Popcorn Movie Channel. The channel is set to be launched exclusively on now TV on March 15 (Ch. 133), and will make its foray into the Chinese-speaking markets in Asia and overseas.
This joint venture of four major media players from Hong Kong and mainland China brings together now TV’s advanced IPTV platform and top-class movie production and distribution experts, to create Hong Kong’s first movie channel from movie professionals:
- Huayi Brothers: Huayi Brothers International is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huayi Brothers Media Corporation. Huayi Brothers Media Corporation is the leading integrated entertainment conglomerate in mainland China. Huayi Brothers Media distributes and produces a number of box-office hits including “Cell Phone”, “A World Without Thieves”, the “If You Are The One” series, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”, etc. Apart from movie production, its business areas also include drama production, talent agency, music label, cinemas, games, entertainment sales, cultural tourism and new media.
- Shine Focus / WE PICTURES: Founded by famous Hong Kong director Mr. Peter Ho-sun Chan and his team. Shine Focus will bring a series of splendid movies produced by WE PICTURES to now Popcorn Movie Channel. “Bodyguards and Assassins” (2009) produced by Mr. Chan is one of WE PICTURES’s masterpieces, which earned the company commercial success and 8 wins in the Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2011, the martial arts blockbuster “Wu Xia”, directed and produced by Mr. Chan, was the only Chinese movie to be invited into the Official Selection in the 64th Cannes Film Festival. Furthermore, “Comrades, Almost a Love Story”, “The Warlords”, “Bodyguards and Assassins”, produced and directed by Mr. Chan, are the top three films with the most awards in the 30 years’ history of the Hong Kong Film Awards.
- Edko Films: In addition to movie production, movie and video distribution, and operation of the Broadway Circuit of cinemas, Edko Films also engaged in print, outdoor and digital media advertising as well as promotional activities for movies. Edko Films has distributed nearly 300 movie titles for HK and China, and produced many internationally acclaimed movies and handled their local and overseas distribution.
- now TV: Being a leading IPTV operator in the world and Hong Kong’s leading pay-TV provider, now TV serves over a million customers with more than 180 channels of world-class infotainment.
now Popcorn Movie Channel will exclusively broadcast first-run blockbusters from Huayi Brothers, WE PICTURES and Edko Films, plus other first-run local and Asian top-class movies acquired from other content providers. Films that have been lined up for now Popcorn Movie Channel include “love”, and award-winning productions such as “Wu Xia”, “The Lost Bladesman”, “Crossing Hennessy”, “Beach Spike”, “Love for Life” and “Dream Home”.
Apart from movies, the new channel will provide information about movie culture, combining entertainment and information in a single channel. The infotainment programmes include behind-the-scene of the latest movies (“Popcorn At The Movie”), exclusive interviews with renowned movie producers and superstars (“Popcorn Movies Talks”), new directors’ productions (“Popcorn Shorts Select”) and movie production programs hosted by accomplished movie practitioners (“Cinema101″).
Subscribers of now Popcorn Movie Channel will enjoy for free, an on-demand service which will allow them to review programs and uncut versions of movies at any time. Moreover, they will be able to view selected programs via the Internet on now.com.
Ms. Brenda Hu, Vice President of Huayi Brothers, said, “Working with now TV allows Hong Kong audiences to learn more about our movie productions and enhance our brand. now Popcorn Movie Channel will become our major platform to reach Hong Kong families and we will bring to viewers the most captivating movies, including the upcoming romance blockbuster “love”.
Mr. Peter Ho-sun Chan said, “We always hope to develop a world-class Chinese movie channel, offering the most diversified movie selection and rich movie related information to viewers. It is not only an entertainment channel but also a platform through which we can share movie production knowledge with viewers especially those young people who aspire to develop a career in movies. We are glad to team up with now TV and two big movie companies, Edko Films and Huayi Brothers, to offer the widest selection of the latest and the best Asian movies to Hong Kong audiences.”
Mr. Bill Kong, Executive Director of Edko Films, said, “now Popcorn Movie Channel represents our first cooperation with a local media company in launching a movie culture channel. now TV and Edko Films share the same vision to foster the growth of the local movie sector. Through this cooperation, we look forward to bringing our movies including big productions starring renowned artistes and those produced by new directors to Hong Kong people’s homes.”
Ms. Janice Lee, PCCW’s Managing Director of TV and New Media, said, “We are delighted to launch Hong Kong’s first movie channel established by three top movie production and distribution companies. now Popcorn Movie Channel will not only bring premiere movies and blockbusters to movie fans, but also features programs hosted by movie professionals, and insightful discussions on film-making, thereby promoting the development of the movie industry in Hong Kong. now TV understands viewer’s demand for quality and premium movies and strives to work with our partners to bring the most exciting and entertaining movies and content to all viewers in Hong Kong.”
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About Huayi Brothers
Huayi Brothers International Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huayi Brothers Media Corporation. Huayi Brothers Media Corporation is the leading integrated entertainment conglomerate in China. It successfully went public in Chinese A-share market in 2009, becoming the “first stock” of Chinese entertainment industry. Films such as “Cell Phone”, “A World without Thieves”, “The Forbidden Kingdom”, “The Banquet”, “Assembly”, “The Message”, “If You Are the One Series”, “Aftershock”, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame”, “Soldiers Sortie” has won both public praise and excellent box office incomes, setting box-office records time and again among domestic films. In 2010, Huayi Brothers alone contributed 30% (RMB 1.7 billion) of the domestic Chinese film B.O. in China (17% of the overall domestic B.O.). In the year of 2011, Huayi Brother presented “H Plan”, featuring ten new films with 11 directors, and will release seven new films in 2012, such as “Painted Skin II”, “Taichi: From Zero to Hero”, “1942” and “Chinese Zodiac”.
Today, Huayi Brothers has integrated its nine business branches including film, teleplay, artist agency, music, cinema, video game, entertainment marketing, cultural tourism and new media. With film remaining its core, Huayi Brothers is now creating higher business value with partners around the world.
About Shine Focus / WE PICTURES
Shine Focus / WE PICTURES are founded by well acclaimed Hong Kong director Peter Ho-sun Chan and his team. Shine Focus will bring a series of splendid movies produced by WE PICTURES to now Popcorn Movie Channel.
“Bodyguards and Assassins”, produced by Peter Chan, is one of the masterpieces of WE PICTURES. It is an event blockbuster released in Dec 2009 to critical and commercial success. Also, “Bodyguards and Assassins” scored another 8 wins for Peter Chan. The martial arts blockbuster “Wu Xia”, directed and produced by Peter Chan, was the only Chinese language film to be invited into the Official Selection in the 64th Cannes Film Festival.
Peter Chan has directed and produced a string of hits such as his award-winning directorial debut “Alan And Eric: Between Hello And Goodbye”, “Yesteryou, Yesterme, Yesterday”, “The Days Of Being Dumb”, “Tom, Dick & Hairy”, “Twenty Something”, “He’s a Woman, She’s a Man”, “Age Of Miracles”, “Comrades, Almost a Love Story”, “The Love Letter”, “One Fine Spring Day”, “The Eye” Series, “Three” and “Three…Extreme”, “Golden Chicken 1 & 2″, “Perhaps Love”, “Mcdull, The Alumni”, “Protégé”, “The Warlords”, “Bodyguards And Assassins” and “Wu Xia”.
Among which, “Comrades, Almost a Love Story” had a record-breaking 9 wins at the Hong Kong Film Awards and was named one of the Ten Best Movies of 1997 by Time Magazine. “The Warlords” has garnered 8 Hong Kong Film Awards and 3 Golden Horse Awards, including Best Director and Best Feature Film.
About Edko Films
Established in 1959, Edko Films Ltd. always strives to bring entertainment and fun to the public. Besides producing and distributing films, we operate cinema circuits and carry out movie promotion, including print and outdoor advertisements, TV commercials and promotional activities.
Edko Films Ltd has distributed for Hong Kong and China nearly 300 movie titles, counting box office successes such as “3 Idiots”, “Sanctum”, “Resident Evil” series, “Ong Bak”, “My Sassy Girl” and “Brokeback Mountain”; as well as celebrated art house movies like “The Secret in Their Eyes”, “Uncle Boonmee who can Recall his Past Lives”, “Poetry”, “Incendies”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Pan’s Labyrinth”, “Crash” and “Lives of the Others”.
Edko Films Ltd has produced many internationally acclaimed movies and handled their local and overseas distribution. These include “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Hero”, “House of the Flying Daggers”, “Fearless”, “Curse of the Golden Flower”, “Secret”, “Lust, Caution”, “Claustrophobia”, “Crossing Hennessy”, “Under the Hawthorn Tree”, “Lovers’ Discourse”, “Love for Life” and “The Flowers of War”.
About PCCW Limited
PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008) is a Hong Kong-based company which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.
The Company holds a majority interest in HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider. HKT meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centers.
PCCW also owns a fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong, which includes a highly successful IPTV operation, now TV. As the provider of Hong Kong’s first quadruple-play experience, PCCW offers a range of innovative media content and services across four delivery platforms – fixed-line, broadband Internet access, TV and mobile.
Also wholly-owned by the Group, PCCW Solutions is a leading information technology outsourcing and business process outsourcing provider in Hong Kong and mainland China.
In addition, PCCW holds a majority interest in Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, and overseas investments including the wholly-owned UK Broadband Limited. To learn more about PCCW, please visit www.pccw.com.
About now TV
now TV is one of the world’s largest commercial deployments of IPTV and Hong Kong’s largest pay-TV provider. It is delivered by PCCW Media Limited, the multimedia and entertainment subsidiary of PCCW Limited. PCCW also holds interests in telecommunications, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.
now TV serves Hong Kong with more than 180 channels of local, Asian and international programming, including premium content such as Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A, English FA Cup, NBA, French Open, US Open, ATP World Tour, BWF Super Series, World Snooker Tour, F1 and PGA Tour. In addition, now TV is both a leading producer of news, sports and infotainment programming and a provider of a wide range of interactive services. now TV can be enjoyed on the eye devices provided by HKT, the telecommunications arm of PCCW. Select now TV content and interactive applications can also be accessed via HKT’s 3G mobile network and broadband service. To learn more about now TV, please visit www.now.com.
For further information, please contact:
Mady Wei
Huayi Media
Tel: +86 10 64579338 605
Email: made.wei@huayimedia.com
Ivan Ho
Group Communications Manager
PCCW
Tel: +852 2883 8747
Email: ivan.wy.ho@pccw.com
