Since the Cannes Festival Market is heading to the first weekend, it is fair to say that it is a nerve time for international film sales. I barely recover from the shocks of the epidemic and damage in Hollywood. The industry is now facing the threat of definitions imposed by US President Donald Trump, which justifies a huge deal of ambiguity for international financing, joint production and sales.
Asia was not immune from these shocks and doubts. Although some huge songs like China Nezha 2 And Thailand How to make millions before the death of the grandmother It gives the impression that everything is fine – the truth is that the box office recovery was slow or uneven across most regions. The reasons for this may seem so familiar in the West – slowing in the United States for studios in the United States, turning into broadcasting and (in the case of China) the short vertical drama, and inflation beating consumer pockets.
But at the same time, there is an atmosphere of flexibility in many regions, as local films are rupture, filling the area left by the retreating Hollywood. While most markets are polarized between some big visits and a lot of mistakes among local films, their local box office is also strengthened by the Japanese anime, Southeast Asia, K-POP concert movies and intimate drama like How to make millions Hong Kong The last dance.
The big issue is the place where independent films are left outside the region, as it seems that the area of independent movement films and the European festival fare has contracted more than ever.
Asia was prenatal, a reasonably profitable area for selling independent films-its home to many of the expanded box office markets and a young audience that converted to the Western movement, horror, children's films and animation, with accurate handling, movies with Academy Awards and getting to know the Cannes Festival. In particular, China was a bright point for American sales companies, with stars such as Jason Statham and Sylpster Stallone in fans and sales companies based on MGS in a 1-2 million dollar range to obtain great work titles with decent talent.
But five years after the epidemic began, optimism evaporates. China may remain the second largest box office market – about $ 5.9 billion in 2024 compared to $ 8.6 billion in North America – but MGS has collapsed and no Western vendors of the region included sales expectations.
“Due to the type of films we deal with, we are used to having a somewhat good way in China, but now it is difficult to do anything more than just a basic VOD deal,” says Simon Crowe, co -founder of SC Films International. “There are not many distributors ready to capture a gambling on independent films – and that was before we were waiting to find out what is happening with these definitions.”
Although the Chinese film management (CFA) announced that it will “reduce” in a moderate number of American films, in response to Trump's definitions of Chinese goods, there has been no significant evidence of this yet. Disney Thunderbolt* It is currently released, and since three other titles in the United States are announced, it has been dated – Accountant 2 (May 16), Lilo and GMT (May 23) and How to train your drag (June 13).
On the Indie front, China buyers say they have not yet received any official notice of moving away from the American independent titles, but they are concerned that it may be difficult now to obtain approval (of course, Trump has reduced China's tariff and changed the situation daily). But most of them say, outside the registry, they did not really buy even before Trump's tariff. The shares are not the problem of these days, as the Chinese authorities welcomed foreign films to support the brand box office – there was not much box office for us.
Minecraft movie
Even Hollywood does it well in China since the epidemic. The release of the highest American studio so far this year in China, Minecraft movie28 million dollars (200 meters yuan), while the largest United States is independent John Wake: Chapter 4 On 6.2 million dollars (44.9 yuan). Not bad results, but part of what was expected before the epidemic.
Buyers say there is a wave of excitement last year about Jasson Statham Starier BeekeepersWhich amounted to $ 15.5 million (RMB114M) in January 2024, which prompted a sudden increase in MG values. But the prices collapsed again when the title of the subsequent US measure did not achieve more than $ 7 million (50 meters).
Women's stories
On the other hand, there were some recently encouraging results of European films. While a handful of European films was released only in China last year, a winner of the Cannes Palmy Festival or the winner Anatomy of the fallAnd distributed by the road pictures, and got 3.9 million dollars (28.6 yuan) There is still tomorrow He received $ 6.2 million (44.8 UNEA) through a release dealt with by JIA ZhangKE and Tian Qi's unknown pleasures (UPP).
Both films seem to have benefited from the increasing purchasing power of female masses, which currently account for about 58 % of the cinema owners, and shows great interest in stories about female liberation. Local products Her storyOn the authority of a single mother of interconnection with one of the neighbors, and Like a circulating stoneAbout a middle -aged woman on a wild trip, great successes over the past year. It seems that the emotional and cultural importance instead of Machimo and the scene leads the box office in the post -guardian.
Alessandro Caccamo, International Sales Director of VISION Distribution in Italy, explains that UPP focused on the female liberation angle when marketing There is still tomorrow In China. “We did not expect the issue of women to be deeply perceived in China to become an essential aspect of communication, to the point of launching the film on March 8, [International Women’s Day]He says (he says (See the pluscinemaz.cominterview with UPP here for more details).
There is still tomorrow
Meanwhile, CFA MAO YU, the Deputy Executive Director of CFA MAO YU, has repeatedly stated that he wants to see a more varied collection of foreign films in Chinese cinemas and the authorities seem to experience different version models. While most films are widely released to up to 12,000 homes in cinema, distributors are now allowed to determine cinemas and departments, which greatly reduces the cost of creating DCPS.
“There were some strong signals from the authorities last year that they wanted to see a more diverse market,” says Meng Xie, the founder of the Chinese sales agent and Rediance investor, who recently rose to the distribution of foreign films. “We have the second largest box office market, but the number of films that have been released is still much less than you can see in the smaller markets. It is still a complex market, but it is more open than before.”
Many other distributors including Hishow Entertainment, which is preparing to launch the Brazilian Academy Award winner I am still here At the end of this week, Beijing Hugaeast Media and Dddream International also started trying new version models on the theatrical version of specialized films. “The costs are more controlled and we are able to reach our target fans more efficiently,” says Elizabeth Yang, Dddream International, who recently used this strategy to release WIM WENDERS 'Cannes Ualder. Perfect days. “There is more support for this now as the market needs more diversity.”
The rest of Asia
As for the rest of the region – American and European sellers say that the image is not much better, especially in South Korea, one of the theatrical markets that have fought more than others to recover since the epidemic. Where an independent movie can depend on about a million acceptance, most of them are now lucky to withdraw 100,000.
The image was mixed throughout Southeast Asia – some of the most mature markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong, which have always been dependent on Hollywood films, struggling to recover, and close many cinemas. Other markets are still in the growth stage and build their theatrical infrastructure. Indonesia and Vietnam grows rapidly-Vietnam has already exceeded the box office before birth-but again, domestic production, especially horror movies, leads the market.
However, some areas are still interested in international films and even drawing attention from the least active neighbors. The director of SC Films for international sales and marketing, Fumie Suzuki Lancaster, indicates that when you meet the Korean buyers, they often care about the acquisition of Vietnam films: “The box office flourishes in Vietnam and it seems that the younger audience is hungry for international culture. We are doing a good job with the sale of theatrical rights in this market, especially for sweets Animation.
SC Films is also largely involved in Southeast Asia in terms of joint production and international rights capture-includes the current sales list of BRILLANTE Mendoza's chameleon And the horror of Mike Wilwan, the extraordinary Indonesian Milati: Revenge in the blood.
How to make millions before the death of the grandmother It was sold internationally by WME Independent CursedTaiwan The curse of the bridge And the excitement of Indian work killingHe currently has a joint venture with Moxed films in Singapore in Nelson Mock. In fact, it is rare to find a Western sales agent these days that does not have at least one Asian title on its list.
For sales agents, facing MGS for Western films that contract with a small part of the previous levels in Asian regions, capturing Asian films to sell or reshape the original rights, is likely to be more interesting.
As for a market, the distributors around Asia say they are still buying American and European films, but they cannot pay what they are accustomed to; They are not sure of the time they can continue if the box office does not start gathering. Asia is a theatrical market-there is a very little PVD and Pay-TV. We hope, before the Cannes Festival plays, we will have a better idea of when and if the work between Asia and the rest of the world will resume.
