“CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER” BREAKS BOX OFFICE RECORDS

Zhang Yimou’s “Curse of the Golden Flower” broke box office records in China this weekend, opening to a four day total of RMB 96 M  (12.5 M U.S.) on 826 screens.  Previous successful openings are “Hero” opened to RMB 35 M (4.5 M U.S.), “House of Flying Daggers” to RMB 61 M (7.9 M U.S.), “The Promise” to RMB 75 M (9.7 M U.S.) and “The Banquet” to RMB 45 M (5.8 M U.S.).

The film, which tells the story of an imperial family's slow decline stars Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat.  China’s submission for Best Foreign Film, Sony Pictures Classics will release the film this Thursday, December 21st, in New York, and December 22nd in  Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Honolulu, Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Toronto and Vancouver, and nationwide in January.

Zhang Yimou is also directing Placido Domingo in the NYC Metropolitan Opera production of The First Emperor.  The opera premieres on December 21, 2006.  

Curse of the Golden Flower was written by Zhang Yimou, Wu Nan and Bian Zhihong and includes many of the creative team behind Yimou’s previous films: cinematographer Zhao Xiading (Oscar nominated for House of Flying Daggers), production designer Huo Tingxiao, action director Tony Ching Siu-Tung, sound designer Tao Jing, and producers Bill Kong and Zhang Weiping. Original music composed by Shigeru Umebayashi (Hero, 2046, In The Mood For Love) and the costume designer is Yee Chung Man (So Close).

This film is rated R and has a running time of 114mins.