Free and Easy (輕鬆+愉快), A Better Tomorrow 4 (英雄本色4), Disney’s The Dreaming Man (假如王子睡著了), and Soul Mate (七月與安生) are among the mainland Chinese films chosen for theatrical release in Taiwan in 2018. The lottery was held this morning at the Ministry of Culture in Taipei.

Every year, the Taiwan government allows only ten mainland Chinese production to be released in China. A record high 66 mainland Chinese films were submitted by local distributors for the lottery this year, up from last year’s 54 submissions.

Even though an increasing number of co-productions in the region have blurred the nationality of films, many Hong Kong-China co-productions are nevertheless submitted for consideration.

Submitted films that were not chosen include Zhang Yimou’s Shadow (影) (at 11th), Chen Kaige’s Legend of the Demon Cat (妖貓傳) (at 25th), Feng Xiaogang’s Youth (芳華) (at 30th), Dante Lam’s Operation Red Sea (紅海行動) (at 31st), Li Xiaofeng’s Ash (追‧蹤) at 52nd), and Wolf Warrior II (戰狼2) (at 59th).

There’s no limit on the number of times that a film can be submitted. Soul Mate was initially submitted last year, but wasn’t chosen for release. If any of the top ten films give up its release plan, the next film on the list will get moved up.

Films that are not chosen can bypass the quota if it wins either the best film or best director award at the Golden Horse Awards. Angels Wear White landed at 23rd place on the lottery, but it will receive a Taiwan release if it wins in one of the two categories. If Free and Easy wins best film, then it can give up its quota, and Shadow will automatically be picked as the 10th film

Mainland Chinese Films Picked for Taiwan Theatrical Release in 2018

1) Namiya (解憂雜貨店)

2) A Better Tomorrow 4

3) Transcendent (鏡相人)

4) Free and Easy

5) Plastic China (塑料王國)

6) Old Beast (老獸)

7) Cook Up the Storm (決戰食神)

8) The Dreaming Man

9) Soul Mate

10) Battle for Memories (記憶大師)