Cinedigm Corp (CIDM) , a leading independent distributor, announced a new partnership with CMC Pictures, a major international sales representative, financier and distributor of Chinese film and television. Under the deal, Cinedigm (CIDM) will release select titles from CMC Pictures’ slate, comprised of many recent Chinese theatrical hits, across all ancillary channels, including DVD/Blu-Ray, digital, and television, in North America.
Established in 2016 and based in China, CMC Pictures operates as the international sales and distribution arm of CMC Inc., a media and entertainment conglomerate known for its prominent strengths in multi-genre premium content, including film, drama, variety shows, financial media, music, fashion & lifestyle, sports, gaming, live entertainment, theater, and a comprehensive scope of content related businesses such as artist and sports agencies, cinemas, urban recreational complexes, and theme parks.
CMC Pictures has quickly established itself as a leader in the multi-territory sale and distribution of premier Chinese productions, most recently representing big hits like THE WANDERING EARTH, PEGASUS, WOLF WARRIOR II, DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 2, ANIMAL WORLD, and as the exclusive theatrical distributor of The WANDERING EARTH grossing the highest box office revenue of all Chinese films in North America in the last five years.
The first anticipated picture under the Cinedigm (CIDM) deal will be THE ROAD NOT TAKEN, an offbeat road picture, following a bumbling ostrich farmer (Wang Xuebing), who journeys across the Gobi Desert in hopes of reconciling with his estranged wife, but ends up forming a makeshift family along the way. The picture, directed by first time filmmaker Gaopeng Tang, screened as a selection of the Focus on China event at the 2018 Venice Film Festival, and was an official Golden Globe submission in the Foreign Language film category for China.
The new pact reflects Cinedigm’s increasing role as a point of contact and go-to distributor for the distribution of Chinese content in North America. Majority-owned by Bison Capital, a Hong Kong based investment firm, Cinedigm (CIDM) recently announced the launch of Bambu, a digital channel which will be focused on Chinese content. Bambu will be available via major streaming devices and pay-TV carriage later this year in the US.
“CMC Pictures represents the highest caliber of Chinese productions across a wide range of genres and with cast recognizable to international audiences,” said Yolanda Macias, Cinedigm’s Executive Vice-President of Acquisitions and Digital Sales. “We are excited to expand our library with these diverse films and to continue bringing entertaining Chinese language titles to North American audiences.”
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with Cinedigm (CIDM) on our upcoming releases,” said Shirley He, Distribution Manager of CMC Pictures. “We have been seeking a long-term North American partner for our slate and look forward to a successful future together.
The deal was negotiated by Melody Fowler, Vice-President of Acquisitions for Cinedigm (CIDM), and Shirley He, on behalf of CMC Pictures.
About CINEDIGM (CIDM)
Since inception, Cinedigm (CIDM) has been a leader at the forefront of the digital transformation of content distribution. Adjusting to the rapidly transforming business needs of today’s entertainment landscape, Cinedigm (CIDM) remains a change-centric player focused on providing content, channels and services to the world’s largest media, technology and retail companies. Cinedigm’s Content and Networks groups provide original and aggregated programming, channels and services that entertain consumers globally across hundreds of millions of devices. For more information, visit www.cinedigm.com.
About CMC PICTURES
CMC Pictures is a CMC Inc. subsidiary focusing on the global distribution of Chinese movies, with direct theatrical and Internet distribution capabilities in over 71 countries, 198 cities.
We work directly with over 20 cinema chains in North America, Australia & New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Middle Asia and Africa.
Till now, we have successfully released block-buster and premium Chinese movie titles, including The Wandering Earth, Wolf Warrior 2, Shadow, Animal World, Hello Mr. Billionaire, Detective Chinatown 2, etc., bringing top content not only to cinemas but also to various TV, Internet and mobile platforms around the globe.
As the first member of IFTA from China, CMC Pictures is an active participant in international film festivals, including Cannes, TIFF, Filmart, AFM, and etc., presenting more and more quality content to international markets.
