Shanghai Party: Red Carpet Rolled out at Bona Film Group 20th Anniversary Event

By Patrick Frater

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – No deal announcements. No talk of the Chinese film industry’s ongoing winter of discontent. Instead the parade of talent on stage Wednesday night at Shanghai’s Wanda Reign hotel put their troubles aside for a moment and celebrated the 20th anniversary of producer-distributor-exhibition company Bona Film Group.

At regular intervals, Bona’s founder and chairman Yu Dong called on stage close friends and strategic partners – including film-maker Huang Jianxin and EastWest Bank chairman Dominic Ng – for multiple rounds of reminiscence, and toasts to the future. Bona executives past and present Nansun Shi, Jeffrey Chan, and Nick Qi also shared the spotlight.

Talent and film makers on hand at one of the most lavish events of the Shanghai International Film Festival week, included Roland Emmerich (“Midway”), producer-director Fruit Chan (“Bride Wars”), Dante Lam (“Operation Mekong”), Andrew Lau (“The Chinese Pilot”), Raymond Wong Bak-ming, Wong Jing (“Chasing The Dragon”), Gordon Chan, Han Han (“Pegasus”) and star actor Zhang Hanyu (“The Chinese Pilot”).

Visiting executives included the Motion Picture Association’s William Feng, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Carrie Wong, CAA China co-head Wei Hao, Alibaba Pictures chairman Fan Luyuan, Wanda Pictures’ Wayne Jiang, and Fosun Pictures chairman Li Haifeng.

One of the evening’s most curious moments was a tribute from Hesong Entertainment. It involved jugs of gold dust being poured over a giant black board to reveal a special message.