‘Black Dog’ Director Guan Hu Brings $80 Million WWII Epic ‘Dong Ji Island’ to Cannes Market With Seventh Art Pictures

by

Following his triumphant win of the Un Certain Regard prize for “Black Dog” at last year’s Cannes, renowned Chinese filmmaker Guan Hu plans to debut his newest creation at this year’s Cannes Film Market.

International distribution for the $80 million war epic “Dong Ji Island,” based on real-life events during World War II, will be managed by Seventh Art Pictures. This film, co-directed by Guan and his longtime assistant director Fei Zhenxiang, narrates the perilous rescue operation undertaken by islanders from a local area. They risked dangerous waters and Japanese military forces to save British prisoners of war who were stranded on a sinking Japanese warship, mistakenly targeted near China’s easternmost coastline.

The movie derives its plot from the tragic event of the Japanese vessel “Lisbon Maru” sinking, a topic that was also explored in the documentary titled “The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru.” Remarkably, this shipwreck story was China’s submission for the Oscars’ international film category.

This film boasts a star-studded Chinese cast, featuring Zhu Yilong, who is known for his roles in “Lighting Up the Stars” and “Only the River Flows”, Wu Lei, best recognized from “Shadow” and “Dwelling by the West Lake”, and Ni Ni, celebrated for her performances in “Lost in the Stars” and “The Flowers of War”.

For Fei, who has collaborated with Guan since “Mr. Six,” this new project signifies a significant leap as a main film director following the success of various Chinese television shows such as the 2022 hit series “Love Like The Galaxy.

Film producer Liang Jing, head of The Seventh Art Pictures, has a deep connection with Guan, having been involved in the production of several of his critically acclaimed films such as “The Eight Hundred.” This film went on to become the top-grossing live-action movie worldwide in 2020, earning over $461 million at the global box office.

Seventh Art Pictures, a company founded by Guan and Liang, has built a strong standing for combining both financial profitability and artistic excellence. Their films have collectively earned over $1 billion, while their “7 Hope Project” nurtures upcoming filmmakers whose works have been showcased at renowned film festivals such as “Streetwise”, nominated for Un Certain Regard at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, and “A Song Sung Blue”, selected for Directors’ Fortnight at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.

Presented jointly by Shanghai Tao Piao Piao Movie & TV Culture Company Limited and Beijing Enlight Pictures Company Limited, the movie “Dong Ji Island” is scheduled to be released within China this year. A 17-minute preview will be exhibited for potential buyers on May 14.

Guan, represented by UTA, will additionally acquire the rights for another forthcoming film titled “A Man and a Woman” to be showcased at Cannes. This film is a delightful comedy featuring Huang Bo and Ni Ni in leading roles.

Read More

2025-05-10 08:20