Variety Asia Online - Asia entertainment news from Variety

Hong Kong/Film/Finance/HAF
HAF redefines selection with 27 titles Na, Lam, Wei make the cut as Hong Kong project market seeks common ground between commercial and art-house cinema. Read More >>

TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

hong kong/film

"CJ7" takes top spot in 2008
Stephen Chow's fantasy pic scores at HK box office, overall growth in Chinese-language film grosses.
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china/internet

China clamps down on internet sex search
Major online portals like Google targeted for "spreading pornography."
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japan/film

Hollywood heavyweights to boost "Ponyo" release
Wide release planned by veteran trio for American release of Miyazaki toon.
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japan/film/festivals

TIFF, TIFFCOM sets dates for 2009
Japanese film festival to unspool in October.
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hong kong/festivals

"Shinjuku Incident" to open HKIFF
Jackie Chan's Yakuza thriller set for world premiere at Hong Kong fest.
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japan/film

Majors look to Japan for projects
Studios partnering on remakes of American hits to lure back straying audiences.
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china/piracy

11 nabbed in huge Chinese anti-piracy bust
Lengthy jail terms imposed on members of $2 billion software counterfeiting ring.
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china/legit

Beijing raises curtains on huge theater complex
32 theater development hopes to rival London's West End and New York's Broadway.
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hong kong/tv

Hong Kong watches ongoing real-life TV drama
Money, politics and incompetence behind recent broadcasting debacles.
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hong kong/box office

"Crook" steals Hong Kong's New Year box office
Robust audience numbers also ring in the year for "Ong Bak 2," "Mei Lan Fang."
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taiwan/tv

Demonstrators rally against Taiwan TV interference
Protestors claim ruling political party aims to take over public broadcaster.
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china/film

Xinhua Finance Media leaves advertising business
Mainland media conglomerate to focus on sport and entertainment sectors.
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china/box office

A prosperous 2008 for Mainland box office
8 Chinese-language films pass milestone at charts, takings for the year up 27%.
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china/internet

LeTV announces $15 millon investment in original content
Chinese video portal plans slate of sci-fi movies for online distribution.
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asian/box office

Local heroes, toons dominate Christmas B.O. in Asia
"Ip Man" and "Overspeed" jostle with "Madagascar 2" for top spots.
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singapore/cg/tv

Parallel computing at Singapore confabs
Television and CG conventions fail to connect despite similar aims.
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korea/internet

Korean celebs battle internet gossiping
Online innuendo blamed for recent string of famous suicides.
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japan/tv

Fuji TV wins ratings crown again
Network takes top spot for the fifth consecutive year.
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hong kong/internet

PCCW privatization vote postponed
Richard Li increases offer to $4.50 per share at the eleventh hour.
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hong kong/animation

Financial concerns continue to dog Imagi
Company adds 3-D to upcoming slate. Auditors issue 'going concern' qualification.
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china/film

Chinese academy opens arms to HK industry
Mainland film org announces big names to top positions, Gong Li excluded.
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hong kong/box office

Christmas bonanza for Hong Kong box office
Animated films and martial arts epics dominate charts over holiday season.
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china/film

Asian directing trio to helm Chengdu film
Hong Kong director Fruit Chan plans omnibus movie set in disaster struck Sichuan.
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hong kong/film

Wong divests shares in Mandarin
Veteran producer sells 8.3% stake to pair of Chinese investors.
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film/reviews

"Indian Cinemas: From North to South"
Documentary that looks beyond Bollywood to the major and separate film industries spread out across India.
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films/reviews

"Burma VJ"
Hardhitting documentary about underground journalists who risked their lives documenting Burma's 2007 uprising.
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films/reviews

"The Clone Returns Home"
Enigmatic Japanese sci-fi film about wayward clones recalls Tartovsky's Solaris.
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