Escape From The 21st Century

Source: ©2024 Scity Films

‘Escape From The 21st Century’

Fortissimo Films has secured international rights to upcoming Chinese feature Escape From The 21st Century and will launch sales at Toronto in September.

The Amsterdam and Beijing-based sales company has landed rights to the action sci-fi feature ahead of its local release, which Chinese distributor Enlight Pictures today revealed is set for August 3.

The story follows three friends who discover they have the power to travel back and forth 20 years with a sneeze. However, the future is not as good as they hoped and need to take on the responsibility of saving the world.

Produced by Scity Films, it marks the solo feature debut of writer/director Li Yang, who has gained recognition in China with shorts including Lee’s Adventure and Bad Future. In 2011, Li co-directed a feature-length version of Lee’s Adventure with Frant Gwo, who went on to direct blockbuster sci-fi franchise The Wandering Earth.

The cast of Escape From The 21st Century is led by Zhang Ruoyun of popular TV series Joy Of Life; Zhong Chuxi from period drama Youth, which played at Toronto in 2017; and Song Yang, who won best actor at Macao in 2017 for his performance in Xin Yukun’s Wrath Of Silence.

Fortissimo’s recent lineup includes Tian Xiaopeng animation Deep Sea, Xu Haofeng’s martial arts drama 100 Yards, Shen Jie animation The Umbrella Fairy and Yu Lik-wai’s sports action drama Wild Punch.