Golden Harvest, whose production activities are the subject of a tribute section jointly organised by the International Film Festival Rotterdam and Media Asia, is to launch a major multiplex building campaign throughout Asia, more than doubling its current number of screens.

Over 120 screens are to be built or committed to within the next two years by the the Asian giant, which currently has 210 screens in operation in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea and Taiwan - many through Golden Village, its joint venture with Australia's Village Roadshow. Another 100 screens are being planned or negotiated, pending approval. Golden Harvest is also looking at expanding its operation to China.

"China is an agenda we will try to tackle as soon as possible," said Albert Lee, director of Golden Harvest Entertainment (Holdings).

Confident in Future

On the production front, Lee expects Golden Harvest to increase its slate to supply this boom in screens. The company typically produces between 20 and 25 titles a year, with its financing of independent films bringing its annual total to between 30 and 35.

He said Golden Harvest will continue to be based in Hong kong when it returns to China on 1 July and that the transition would have only a minimal effect on Golden Harvest's activities. "Of course there will be some new rules and regulations, possibly in terms of censorship. We are all speculating what will happen, we don't know, but we have been promised most things will stay the same. From Golden Harvest's point of view, we are not concerned because over the years we have not produced too many controversial pictures."

He said there was "no indication" that current Chinese laws requiring Golden Harvest to sub-license its films to local distributor China Film would change. "The role of Golden Harvest will continue as is. We are very happy and work very closely with China Film. So far the results are encouraging and once the cinemas are improved we are quite sure audiences will increase." Adam Minns