Jeff Sharp’s Story Mining & Supply has pacted with Ivanhoe Pictures to develop a slate of China-targeted movies.
The two projects are “Stride,” a dance musical drama about a man trying to find his way in a Chinese factory town; and “Lost in America,” the story of a dysfunctional Chinese family on a cross-country road trip across the U.S. to deliver their daughter to college in California.
“Stride” is being written by Neville Kiser (2013 Black List’s “Man of Sorrow”), “Lost in America” by Australian-Chinese duo Craig Rosenthal and Emmo Xu.
The producers are in discussions with several potential Chinese distribution and production partners.
Development of both pictures will be overseen by SMS’s Jennifer Hatton and by Ivanhoe’s Kelly Carmichael and Hong Kong-based Kat Lee, who was recently appointed to head development and production in Asia.
“We are first of all thinking wide release, commercial films, rather than thinking about whether we take a studio or indie route at this stage,” said Sharp., whose credits include “Boys Don’t Cry,” “You Can Count on Me,” “Nicholas Nickleby” and “Proof.” The company, which is backed by film-maker and private equity maven Jim Kohlberg, has an active slate of pictures in development for the Asian market, including “Polaroid Art Project,” with director Pang Ho-Cheung (“Love in a Puff”), and a relationship with China-based Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Asia.
The partnership between the companies was brokered by Michael Hogan and Brian Kornreich on behalf of Ivanhoe and Siegfried Harris for SMS.
