Huayi Brothers unveils ambitious slate of films for 2018 and 2019

Japanese director Takita Youjirou, known for Departures -- the best foreign language film winner at the Oscars in 2009 -- also appeared at the Shanghai event to unveil his first Chinese-language movie Wen Yan.

The movie based on author Xin You's Chinese novella of the same title is being co-produced by Huayi Brothers Pictures and Magilm Pictures.

The film is about a father-and-son conflict sparked by a pastry recipe.

Speaking about his film, Youjirou says: "As a film director, I cherish the opportunity to work with Chinese producers. I first heard of the story from my Chinese colleagues. The novella looks at family conflicts spanning generations. It's a universal theme."

Hirozazu Kore-eda's Shoplifters, which won the Palme d'Or in Cannes earlier this year, is also on Huayi's distribution list.

Separately, the company will also handle the Chinese distribution of Baltasar Kormakur's Adrift, starring Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin, and the action thriller Mile 22 starring Mark Wahlberg.

Next year, Huayi plans to import four Hollywood movies into China -- mystery thriller A Simple Favor; Pierre Morel's vigilante action thriller Peppermint; Doug Liman's Chaos Walking and Radioactive, a Marie Curie biopic starring Rosamund Pike.