Mike Medavoy and Shanghai Film Group are making a feature film and a 6-hour television miniseries set in World War II China, the two announced at the Shanghai Film Festival Monday.
The movie is based on Bei La's "The Cursed Piano," a love story set in Shanghai when Jews who were being persecuted in Europe received sanctuary in the city.
The miniseries is based on Daniella Kuhn's "Tears of the Sparrow." It will be made in parallel with the movie. The two projects have common story elements and characters, although the miniseries focuses more specifically on the Jewish experience in Shanghai.
Screenwriter Nicholas Meyer, who worked with Medavoy on "Time and Again," also has joined the project.
Medavoy, who produced "Black Swan" and "Shutter Island," among others, has deep roots in Shanghai: He was born there in 1941, and lived there until he was 6. He is chairman and CEO of Phoenix Pictures.
Shanghai Film Group was the first Chinese company that participated in both investment and international rights on a Sino-foreign coproduction — the 2005 "The White Countess," which the company made with the British company Merchant-Ivory.
