Berlin 2013: 'The Grandmaster' Primed for May Release in Korea and Japan

BERLIN – CJ E&M will oversee the release of The Grandmaster in Korea in May, after the company inked a deal with Fortissimo Films, who is repping the film in Berlin for producer-director Wong Kar-wai’s Jet Tone Films.

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“CJ’s release concept and plans for The Grandmaster were superb,” said Fortissimo chairman and the film’s associate producer Michael Werner, who brokered the deal with CJ E&M Pictures’ distribution senior manager Josh Lee. “The film was highly sought after, but CJ’s passion and commitment won us over and we are looking forward to a very successful result for the film in Korea.”

Describing The Grandmaster, which stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Zhang Ziyi as martial arts experts Ip Man and Gong Er, as “an epic, prestigious, beautiful and commercial Wong Kar-wai film which delves into the philosophy and essence of Chinese martial arts,” Lee said he is very confident Korean audiences will respond to the movie.

Fortissimo has also sold the film’s distribution rights to Gaga Corporation in Japan, where the film will also open in May. Meanwhile, the company is also engaged in discussions for Indian rights.

The Grandmaster has already opened on mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan last month.