Chinese-language films widening reach to US

Chinese-language films are going all Hollywood, and elsewhere in North America.

Since the end of November, there have been three Chinese-language movies - Pang Ho-cheung's Women Who Flirt, Zhang Yibai's Back in Time, and Gu Changwei's Love on the Cloud - released in North America.

The movies are being shown in 14 cities in North America with large Chinese-American populations: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose, California; New York, Boston, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, Edison, New Jersey; Rockville, Maryland; and Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

"It is vital for Chinese-language movies to take the first step to go abroad, and I am very glad to see that so many high-quality Chinese movies tapped the US market during this winter holiday season," said James Su, president of the China-America Film Festival, who said a record number of Chinese-language movies were released in North America in December.

There are more Chinese-language films available via popular streaming video websites, such as Netflix, Hulu and SnagFilms, according to the China Lion website, a film-distribution company that makes synchronous international releases for Chinese-language movies.

"We want to bring Eastern culture to the West through films," said Jiang Yangming, CEO of China Lion, in a statement online.

There has been increasing cooperation in the movie industry between China and the US, Su said.

All of the movies picked up by China Lion were directed by China's highest-profile filmmakers and had huge grosses at the box office in China, said Su.

Back in Time in particular got positive feedback from US audiences, Su said.

Moviegoer Yu Fei told China Daily that she has seen all three movies at the Camera 12 Cinemas in San Jose in three consecutive weeks.

"I used to go cinema once a week when I was in China, Yu said. "But after I came to the US, I didn't get lots of chances to see Chinese-language movies that were simultaneously released in China. These movies enriched my life and let me feel relaxed during this winter holiday, since most selected movies are romantic comedies."