CCTV gala

    LU YITAO from China Central Television has reportedly been selected to be the chief director of the Spring Festival Gala in 2016. Lu, born in the 1970s, will be the youngest chief director of the Spring Festival Gala ever if confirmed.

    After graduating from Communication University of China in 2000, he worked as a journalist and production director at CCTV2. He served as the production director, chief editor and chief director of many programs at CCTV. He was executive director of the Spring Festival Gala in 2012, and the director of the Lantern Festival Gala in 2014.

    Lawsuit

    CHINESE director Zhang Yimou has won a 15-million-yuan (about US$2.4m) lawsuit against Hong Kong-based New Pictures film company.

    The Chaoyang District People’s Court in Beijing ordered New Pictures to pay Zhang the money for directing the film “A Simple Noodle Story” (2009). The director says the production company had agreed to equally share revenues minus promotional costs of the film, which he never received. New Pictures could not offer any evidence of payment, but the company says it plans to appeal the court’s decision. Zhang and New Pictures ended their decade-long collaboration in 2012.

    Academy Awards

    DIRECTOR Jia Zhangke has revealed that his film “Mountains May Depart” is to be submitted for this year’s foreign-language category at the Academy Awards.

    The movie tells the story of a family that moves from China to Australia, highlighting their romantic trysts, hopes and the disillusionment felt over two generations in a changing society. The English-language film, screened at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, is scheduled to hit cinemas Oct. 30.(SD-Agencies)