Tony Leung’s ‘A City of Sadness’ Re-release Put on Hold Due to Copyright Dispute

The re-release of the Taiwanese film ‘A City of Sadness’ (1989), starring Tony Leung, which was scheduled for the 6th, has been put on hold.

According to film industry sources on the 4th, the Korea Art Cinema Association recently decided to stop the screening. Other major theaters, including CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox, and the Busan Cinema Center Cinetheque, have also postponed the release.

The suspension comes after the original copyright holder raised concerns. Producer Chu Fu-sheng of Era International Motion Picture Co. sent an official letter to the theaters stating that they never sold the rights for the film’s re-release in Korea.

In a statement posted on social media, the Korea Art Cinema Association explained, “After reviewing the official request for withdrawal from the original rights holder and the explanation provided by the importer, we decided to stop screenings across all member cinemas.” They added, “We believe that proceeding with the screening while the original rights holder denies the legitimacy of the version being shown would not align with the public values and audience trust that art cinemas have upheld.”

Another theater official explained, “We are aware of the copyright issues, so the release has been postponed.”

Importer and distributor A-Some Pictures stated, “We have confirmed that a copyright issue has occurred regarding this work and have notified the seller. We are doing our best to resolve this smoothly through careful and legal procedures.”

A-Some Pictures reportedly purchased the rights from a distributor in France.

‘A City of Sadness’ depicts the tragedy of a family swept up in history, based on the ‘February 28 Incident’ of 1947, when the Chiang Kai-shek government used force to suppress Taiwanese people demanding ‘Taiwanese independence.’ The film was directed by the Taiwanese master Hou Hsiao-hsien and stars Tony Leung.

Considered a representative work of the Taiwan New Wave movement, the film is highly regarded by movie lovers, having won the Golden Lion, the top prize at the 46th Venice Film Festival in 1989.