Trinity CineAsia has acquired U.K. distribution rights to “Being Towards Death,” the latest feature from “Detective Chinatown” franchise director Chen Sicheng and one of mainland China’s first palliative comedies, with the film set to open at selected Odeon venues on June 5.
Rights were obtained from Blossoms Entertainment. The film screened in main competition at the Beijing International Film Festival before opening in mainland China on May 1.
A marked shift for Chen – known primarily for commercial suspense-thriller work across the “Detective Chinatown” series and titles including “Lost in the Stars” and “Sheep Without a Shepherd” – the Mandarin-language feature is also his first foray into comedy-drama. The film follows Xiaobing, a debt-ridden man who, after losing his family and surviving a suicide attempt, takes a job providing mental support to patients in Cancer Ward No. 10. His transactional arrangement gradually shifts as he is pulled into his patients’ final wishes and impulsive adventures, culminating in a road trip aboard a repurposed ambulance.
The ensemble cast is led by Jiang Long, Qi Xi and Yang Chaoyue – a veteran of the Rocket Girls 101 talent competition – alongside Wang Zichuan, Zhang Chi, Cao Bingkun, Huang Yi and Ye Quanxi. Veteran actor Ni Dahong and comedy performer Cai Ming appear in special roles, and Sixth Generation directors Jia Zhangke and Guan Hu make cameo appearances.
“Having worked multiple times with Chen Sicheng, we followed his evolution from tentpole comedy franchise to more intimate dramas, damn clever remakes to outright thrillers verging on horror. Chen is widely seen as one of the most versatile writer-directors working in China today, and of course one of its most successful producers. It is both an honour and an absolute pleasure to work with him and we couldn’t be happier to release his new, highly original, wacky comedy ‘Being Towards Death’ in the U.K.,” said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia.
Producers are Beijing As One Pictures, Maoyan Pictures and Kunshan Zhouzhuang Shuangqiao Film Co.
Source: variety.com
