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WILL SMITH'S 'PURSUIT' PAYS OFF IN CHINA: Film's scheduled release in Jan. breaks country's ban on Hollywood movies.
*Film import officials in China have lifted their ban on Hollywood films by announcing that Will Smith's 2006 drama "The Pursuit of Happyness" will be allowed in local theaters beginning next month.
The unofficial ban of imported films, earlier denied by China Film Group executives, was thought to have come down from high in the Communist government, which long has moved to prevent what it calls "pollution" of local culture and to protect the struggling Chinese film industry, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Smith, in Hong Kong earlier this month to promote his new film, "I Am Legend," publicly expressed disappointment that few of his films had managed to gain entry to China, and unofficially lobbied officials to soften the ban.
Talk of a reported three-month embargo on American films was dispelled this week by China Film Group Import Export Co deputy manager Yuan Wenqiang, who said of the re-titled Columbia Pictures release: "'Happiness Knocks at the Door' is coming in January. We are planning what day to release it."
Chinese movie theater owners and operators who make the bulk of their money in China from imported films expressed hope that the release of "Happyness" in January would signal that other imports also would soon be allowed.
"I am happy about it, but so far it's the only one," said Wayne Zhang, general manager of the Xinyinglian cinema, to the Hollywood Reporter. "Hollywood films have done really well this year, so a lot of theater owners will be happy. Chinese or foreign, we're happy if the movies are good," Zhang said.
"Happyness" was submitted for import approval in the spring and at first was granted a Dec. 30 release date, said a Hollywood studio executive who declined to be named. The film now has been granted a Jan. 17, 2008, release date and will be screened on 350-380 screens in digital projection theaters.
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