Galaxy Studio: Press

GALAXY TO MAKE SONY SHINE IN VIETNAM

HONG KONG - Sony Pictures is to become the first Hollywood studio group to release its titles on DVD titles in Vietnam. The move follows a deal between its Sony Pictures Home Entertainment unit and Galaxy Studio, the country's leading private sector film group. First titles into the market will be a package of 15 including "Casino Royale," "Surf's up" and the "Spider-Man" franchise, that go on sale May 9. After that some 5-10 titles per month will be released. Blu-Ray high definition discs will follow later.

"This deal underscores Sony's commitment to growing our business around the globe and represents the industry's first major step in developing this untapped market." T Paul Miller, Sony's senior VP, international, said.

"We strongly believe that such a partnership will bring great benefits to Vietnam's growing home entertainment market as well as to our two companies," Tran Vu Hoai, Galaxy prexy said.

After years of neglect and under-investment the theatrical film industry in Vietnam shrank to almost nothing with pirate disc distribution replacing much of the legitimate market. Film, TV and home entertainment sectors, as well as local movie production, now appear to be recovering, albeit from a very small base.In 2006 another Sony division Sony Pictures Television Intl. acquired Asian TV rights to Galaxy's hit movie "Long-Legged Beauty." The tale of teen rebellion about a girl who breaks from family traditions to pursue a modeling career was understood to be the first time a Vietnamese picture was distributed by a Hollywood studio.

Galaxy received favorable press for the donation of a high-end Sony digital camera to the Vietnam Red Cross, for use in making a documentary regarding victims of Agent Orange.

Sony Pictures Television International Acquires Television Distribution Rights in Asia for Award-winning Vietnamese Movie Long Legged Beauty

Hong Kong, Nov 15 2006. Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has acquired from Galaxy Studio the exclusive rights to distribute Long Legged Beauty to television program buyers across Asia, including Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Philippines, Taiwan and India.

“SPTI is proud to be associated with Galaxy Studio on this first project. We look forward to working together and bringing a wide variety of Vietnamese movies to Asian audiences. As the ‘Asian Hollywood Studio,’ SPTI actively partners with local producers, studios and content creators to bring their unique stories to the region,” said Ross Pollack, SPTI’s Senior Vice President, Distribution, Asia.

Ms. Dinh Thanh Huong, Production Manager at Galaxy, added, “Distributing local films to overseas markets is a growing trend among countries with a developing movie industry. Galaxy Studio is proud to be the first private Vietnamese film company to have their production distributed by a major Hollywood studio such as SPTI. We consider distributing our films overseas as one of our key long-term strategies.”

Long Legged Beauty is the debut feature film by talented young director Vu Ngoc Dang who won the National Youth Film Contest for Best Short Movie in Vietnam. Long Legged Beauty, Galaxy’s first feature production, was a hit at the Vietnamese box office, opening at the number one position in its premiere week against Hollywood blockbusters. The film was also nominated for the Best Motion Pictures of the Year, the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and won the Silver Lotus Award at the 14th Vietnam Film Festival.

The movie is about a young girl’s desire to break from family tradition and follow her dream of becoming a fashion model. This takes her on a journey of self-discovery during which she finds the love of her life. All the models portrayed in Long Legged Beauty are real-life well-known Vietnamese models such as An Thu, Ngoc Nga, Duong Yen Ngoc, Xuan Lan and Thanh Hang.

Long Legged Beauty adds to SPTI’s growing portfolio of quality Asian programs. Recent additions to the catalog include the Japanese miniseries Tokyo Friends starring pop-star Ai Otsuka; Korean animated action adventure series MaskMan; and Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Zhang Yimou.

Galaxy's film "Long Legged Beauty", licensed by Sony Pictures and Television, was prominently featured on the front page of an article outlining Asia's growing film industry.