“Karate Kid” to hit cinemas in China

The box office success of "The Karate Kid" in North America has strengthened the confidence of China Film Group Corporation to make more Hollywood-China film co-productions in the future.

Since its debut on June 11, "The Karate Kid" which stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan has taken more than 56 million US dollars in North America. It is slated to hit cinemas in China on June 22.

"We didn\'t expect that this Chinese-language film would be so popular in America as American audiences are not used to reading subtitles," said Jiang Defu, general manager of China Film Group Marketing Corporation.

"It prompts us to produce more co-productions which star big names from Hollywood but tell unique Chinese stories."

The film centers on a 12-year-old boy from Detroit who moves to China with his mother and incurs the wrath of the neighborhood bully. He makes an unlikely ally in the form of his aging maintenance man, Mr. Han, a kung fu master who teaches him the secrets to self-defense.

The cast of the film, including producer Will Smith, father of Jaden Smith will host its Chinese premiere tomorrow.

Jiang reveals that they\'re considering invite famous actor Keanu Reeves to their new co-production project. These films aimed for both domestic and the overseas market will also include trademark scenic spots of Chinese cities such as Shanghai\'s fashion hub Xintiandi and Beijing\'s hutongs (typical ancient city alley).

"The Shanghai International Film Festival serves as a bridge to connect both film industries between China and US," Jiang added.

"What we can learn from the matured Hollywood film industry is not only its high-end film technology, but also its marketing, new media distribution methods and business mode."

With specific laws and systems protecting intellectual property rights, film producers in the United States can charge considerable copyright fees from theaters, video-sharing websites and television stations.

Industry insiders hope that the blossoming Chinese film market would pay more attention to the benefits of film makers and show more respect for creativity and intellectual property rights.