In yet another sign of how much influence the Chinese have on Hollywood, a lavish party was thrown in China for some of Hollywood’s A-list stars and studio big wigs. In attendance were such stars as Leonardo DiCaprio, John Travolta, Kate Beckinsale, and Christoph Waltz, as well as top studio chiefs Weinstein Co. chairman Harvey Weinstein and Lionsgate motion picture bosses Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger.
The Americans jetted off to China for a two-night event on September 21-22 in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China for the event hosted by China’s Dalian Wanda film conglomerate.
The event also included a groundbreaking ceremony for a massive Wanda Qingdao Film Production Base and the announcement of a new annual Qingdao International Film Festival.
Wanda recently purchased the AMC Theater chain for $2.6 billion and now has a major foothold in the US entertainment industry. This purchase, along with its Asian holdings, makes the company the largest cinema operator in the world.
Wanda also donated $20 million to the Motion Picture Academy’s museum this September.
According to the text of the invitation, the shindig was put together to “deepen the relationship between Wanda” and the American stars and movie moguls invited. “Together,” the invite says, China and the Americans will “develop the global movie industry in the future.”
Hollywood has increasingly looked to the Chinese film market to fatten profits but in doing so has allowed all its movies to be censored by Chinese authorities. Breitbart reported on the numerous cuts to the hit movie Skyfall, for instance, where references and plot points involving China itself were cut from the movie or materially altered.
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