Specialized sales and financing company Rediance has acquired the international sales rights to “Bound in Heaven,” the first film directed by veteran Chinese screenwriter Hu Shen.
The tragic love story will have its world premiere this week in the Centrepiece section of the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is then set to travel to San Sebastian for its European premiere.
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Liu Xiuwen, the drama follows a successful young woman living in the city with her abusive fiancé and a lonely, terminally ill man who runs a noodle shop in Wuhan. A chance encounter ignites an instant attraction between them and their bond brings light and joy to their dark emotional journey.
The film stars Ni Ni, who appeared in Zhang Yimou's “The Flowers of War” and the 2022 hit “Lost in the Stars.” The film also stars Zhou Yu, who also appeared in Jia Zhangke's “Trapped by the Tides,” which was selected for Cannes and Toronto, and Liao Fan (“Black Coal, Thin Ice,” “Ash is Pure White”).
Hui has a wealth of credits in her film career. Some of the most notable titles include Chen Daming's “Shower,” Stephen Chow's “Kung fu Hustle,” and Zhang Yang's “Sunflower.”
The film was produced by Such A Good Film and Ling Light, which also holds the distribution rights in mainland China. Gao Nan executive produced the film. An Anjin and Justine O. also produced the film.
Radiance is one of the few Chinese film sales companies with a consistent international presence. At Cannes this year, the company handled Chinese-speaking rights to Miguel Gomes’ blockbuster “The Grand Tour” and multi-territory rights to Brazilian film “Falling Sky,” which is screening at the Directors’ Fortnight.
The company continues to work on its recent Berlin titles: Nele Wohlatz’s “Sleep With Your Eyes Open” and Qu Youjia’s “She Sat There Like All Ordinary Ones.” Last year, the company also handled Anthony Chen’s “The Breaking Ice.”
Watch the trailer for “Bound in Heaven” here.
