Toronto Film Festival Dailies

WELL GO USA ACQUIRES MASTER DIRECTOR ZHANG YIMOU’S ‘SHADOW’

FOR MULTIPLE TERRITORY RELEASE

Zhang Yimou’s dazzling ink-washed action epic to receive a major theatrical release in early 2019.

Plano, TX–  Well Go USA has acquired all North American, UK, and Australia/New Zealand rights to legendary filmmaker Zhang Yimou’s SHADOW in advance of its world premiere at the 2018 Venice Film Festival. The film will have its North American premiere at a Gala screening at the Toronto International Film Festival next week.  

In Pei, a kingdom ruled by a young and unpredictable king, the military commander faces peril both inside and outside the palace walls. But he has a secret weapon: a “shadow”, a look-alike who can fool both Pei’s enemies and the King himself.  In his obsessive quest for a long-sought victory over a rival kingdom, the commander must execute an intricate plan involving his wife, the Shadow, and the kings of both kingdoms, leading up to a stunning invasion unlike any seen before. 

Indisputably one of cinema’s great masters, Zhang is famous for his use of vibrant color, be it in his wuxia classics (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) or his powerful dramas (Raise the Red Lantern, Ju Dou).  Here, he takes inspiration from the tradition of Chinese ink-wash painting, using his eye for color to masterfully paint a canvas of inky blacks and greys, punctuated with bursts of color from the faces of the actors and the vibrant, red blood of the defeated. 

Well Go USA will release SHADOW to theaters across their territories in early 2019, to be followed later by a digital and home video release.

“We’re delighted to be working with Well Go on the release of SHADOW in the English-speaking territories” said Ellen Eliasoph, President and CEO of Perfect Village Entertainment Group.  “Well Go’s experience with contemporary Asian films runs deep, and their warm embrace of SHADOW gives us confidence that Director Zhang’s stunning new work will find its widest possible audience.”

“Several of us here at Well Go can draw a straight line from the first time seeing Zhang Yimou’s films to our roles in the industry today,” said Dylan Marchetti, SVP of Acquisitions and Theatrical Releasing at Well Go. “It’s impossible to explain how excited and honored we are to have the privilege of working with him, especially on a film as stunning and innovative as SHADOW, and how much we look forward to giving it one of the largest releases we’ve done to date.”

SHADOW is a Perfect Village Entertainment HK Limited, Le Vision Pictures (Beijing) Co. Ltd., and Shanghai Tencent Pictures Culture Media Company Limited production, written by Zhang Yimou and Li Wei and produced by Ellen Eliasoph, Zhang Zhao, Pang Liwei, Liu Jun, and Wang Xiaozhu. The deal was negotiated by Dylan Marchetti for Well Go USA. Endeavor Content and Bloom handled the deal.

ABOUT WELL GO USA

Well Go USA Entertainment (www.wellgousa.com) is a theatrical and home entertainment distribution company that specializes in bringing top content, including the best Asian cinema, genre and independent films from around the world, to North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and Asia. As a leader in independent film distribution, Well Go's titles can be seen across a variety of platforms, including in theatres, on-demand, via subscription VOD, electronic rental and sell-thru, DVD, Blu-ray and broadcast television. Well Go USA’s corporate headquarters is in Plano, Texas, with offices in New York and Taiwan.

Recent and upcoming Well Go USA Entertainment releases include Lee Chang-dong’s BURNING, Na Hong-jin’s THE WAILING, Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson’s THE ENDLESS, Sang-ho Yeon's TRAIN TO BUSAN, Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s THE ASSASSIN, and RZA’s CUT THROAT CITY.