Parallax, one of the few indie film sales firms in China has picked up two of this year’s best performing mainland Chinese movies.
Ahead of the winter festival and markets season, Parallax has taken on comedy-drama “Post Truth” and family-oriented comedy-fantasy “Five Hundred Miles.”
Directed and co-written by Dong Chengpeng (aka Da Peng), “Post Truth” is the story of a cemetery plot salesman who is released from prison and seeks to clear the online rumors of sexual misconduct by his deceased client. The film stars Dong and leading female actor Li Xueqin.
Dong previously directed hit 2015 title “Jian Bing Man and another 2023 title “One and Only.”
Produced by Ruyi Entertainment with backing from ticketing agencies Taopiaopiao and Maoyan, “Post Truth” released in March and earned over $100 million in mainland cinemas.
In “Five Hundred Miles” a dubious lawyer and a shy man, who are both involved with the same woman, accidentally swap bodies. After a series of unforeseen events, they try to exchange positions again.
Written and directed by Su Lun (“How Long Will I Love You”), and starring Lei Jiayin, Zhang Xiaofei and Zhang Youhao, the film released in Chinese cinemas in January and grossed some $60 million.
Both films come to Parallax via producer Chen Zhixi.
Parallax is part of the Midnight Blur film production and service brand that is devoted to developing and producing films with international vision and idiosyncratic style, both commercial and arthouse. One of only a handful of Chinese firms consistently working the international festival and market circuit, Parallax also has a sister company Deepfocus, which it describes as “a multi-platform media brand.”
At the recent Tokyo International Film Festival, Parallax handled two pictures in official selection: competition title “A Long Shot,” by first time director Gao Peng; and Lee Hong-chi’s Taiwan-made drama “Love Is a Gun,” which debuted in Venice.
