Thailand has certainly seen its fortunes rise on the international production stage — “The White Lotus” and “Alien: Earth” showcased the country’s locations and shooting know-how. CineAsia attendees will be able to see for themselves at the trade show expo, which unfolds Dec. 8-11 in Bangkok. While the country has always had its own thriving production sector, with such world cinema masters as Apichatpong Weerasethakul making regular appearances at film festivals, it seems an auspicious time for the country’s artistic sector — as well as the rest of Asia.
Celebrating its 30th year, CineAsia will be handing out awards at its Dec. 11 fete. Major Cineplex Group CEO Khun Vicha Poolvaraluk, and his son, vice president Visarut “K” Poolvaraluk, will be honored with the Exhibitor of the Year Award, while John Hsu, head of studio distribution and operations at the Walt Disney Company, Asia Pacific, will receive the Distributor of the Year. Other honors include the Motion Picture Assn. Industry Champion Award for Yoshishige Shimatani, chairperson of the Motion Picture Producers Assn. of Japan; Comscore’s 2025 APAC Box Office Achievement Award to “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle”; and CineAsia Innovator Award Presented by Barco to Vieshow Cinemas.
Emperor Cinemas Group will receive the CineAsia Exhibition Pioneer of the Year Award Presented by Christie on the opening day of the confab.
Altogether, new theatrical technologies and premium formats — which will be on display at CineAsia — have boosted audiences in Asia, with homegrown fare booming in market share alongside
Hollywood blockbusters.
Chinese box office has hit $6.48 billion as of Nov. 23. And Chinese homegrown animated blockbuster “Ne Zha” and its sequel, “Ne Zha 2,” have translated to overseas markets, including the U.S. Japanese animated feature “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle” has also traveled to overseas screens with strong B.O. results.
CineAsia — like CineEurope and Cine-LATAM — not only gives U.S. majors a stage on which to showcase upcoming features, but also to meet and greet important Asian theatrical mavens.
Hollywood majors looking to expand screen reach in Asia are slated to show off their wares. Sony Pictures is scheduled to address the attendees, while ambitious U.S. independent Angel Studios has set a presentation plus a screening of the studio’s “David.” The studio says that the musical feature, which dramatizes the early life and rise of the biblical Goliath-slaying David, is its most ambitious family production to date with large-scale musical sequences and studio-quality CG animation.
Universal Pictures Intl., the Walt Disney Studios Intl. and Warner Bros. Pictures Intl. are also set for presentations, while Paramount Pictures Intl. will screen of horror thriller “Primate.”
M Studio Thailand will have a special screening of Puttipong Nakthong’s thriller “The Last Shot,” one of the features in the shingle’s slate. The Bangkok-based company is riding high following the massive success of 2023’s “Death Whisperer” (aka “Tee Yod”), which shattered Thai box office records with earnings exceeding $14 million domestically alone. The horror hit exemplifies M Studio’s knack for connecting with local audiences while maintaining commercial appeal.
China Film Group will host a screening of “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land,” a musical film adapted from a popular stage dance. The film was recently screened at the November American Film Market.
Business of entertainment panels include “A Focus on Korea,” a timely look at the country as its movies and TV series continue to break down borders. Warner Bros. Pictures president of global distribution Jeff Goldstein, and Mark Viane, Paramount president of international theatrical distribution, are among the panelists set for “Studio Roundtable: Hollywood & the Asian Markets,” which looks at the opportunities Asia offers.
Premium technology in Asia has helped Imax expand in the region. “The Premium Boost in Cinema — Trends, Growth Opportunities and Challenges” will gather premium format providers, exhibitors and content partners in a session exploring the impact of the technology on screens, investment priorities and also look at emerging opportunities and challenges.
variety.com
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