EXCLUSIVE: China’s Hishow Entertainment is expanding its production and sales activities involving Hong Kong talent here at Filmart – sealing its first deals on Bosco Wong-starring series My Dearest Stranger and launching sales on action thriller Mastermind, starring Louis Koo.
Following its successful launch on Chinese streaming platform Youku, where it drew more than 260 million views, My Dearest Stranger has been sold to Catchplay for both Taiwan and Indonesia.
Directed by Golden Horse Award–winning director Lin Yu-Hsien (Jump! Boys), the 13-part series also stars Wang Luodan (Caught In The Web) and Yuan Hong (Black Dog) in the story of a housewife who realises that her seemingly perfect husband may have a dark side. She decides to cooperate with the police to find out the truth, while trying to keep her own secrets hidden from the world.
The series is written by Cao Xueping, who also wrote Hishow’s 2021 series Gamer Changer, based on the best-selling novel Secret Love by Fan Shu. “At its core, My Dearest Stranger is a love story that explores the complexities of marriage, deception and the hidden secrets that can lie beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect relationship,” said Hishow.
“As the story unfolds, secrets begin to surface, forcing everyone involved to confront the brutal and unsettling truths behind what once appeared to be a perfect marriage.”
Hishow closed the deal for Taiwan and Indonesia just ahead of Filmart and is reporting strong interest from buyers in other territories that it will be meeting here in Hong Kong. Bosco Wong recently won Best Actor at the TVB Anniversary Awards for his role in series The Queen Of News 2.
Hishow is also reporting strong buyer interest in the feature film title it is launching here –action thriller feature Mastermind, starring Koo (A Step Into The Past), Ci Sha (The Shadow’s Edge), Simon Yam (Under Current) and Tse Kwan-Ho (A Guilty Conscience).
Directed by James Hung (My First Of May), the film follows a detective who becomes the prime suspect in the death of a man who dies in mysterious circumstances while in policy custody. While fighting to clear his name, the detective realizes that those he once trusted may be trying to erase him entirely.
Currently in post-production, the film is produced Film Power Entertainment with backing from Hishow and Hanxin Film and Television Media Co. Hishow has worldwide rights out of Hong Kong.
Hishow is also a buyer and distributor for mainland China, acquiring and releasing films including Best International Oscar winner, I’m Still Here, Oscar Best Animated Feature nominee Memoir Of A Snail and mystery thriller Reflection In A Dead Diamond, which premiered in Berlin film festival last year.
