Singing Horse Productions, a company owned by director Joe Ma Wai Ho International Pacific Artists head Thomas Leong and producer Ivy Kong, has struck a deal to produce three pictures for Hong Kong powerhouse China Star Entertainment.

All three will be directed by Ma, who has notched up a string of profitable low-medium budget pictures including Fighting For Love. China Star will fully finance and hold world rights. Production is by Leong and Kong.

The first film Lion Of The East River, a Chinese equivalent of Shakespeare's Taming Of The Shrew, will shoot in June in China. It will feature China Star contract star Cecilia Cheung Pak-chi (Twelve Nights, The Legend Of Zu, Failan) and be made on a $2m (HK$16m) budget with a yet to be announced Chinese co-producer.

Next up will be romantic comedy Catwalker about a regular guy who finds himself becoming a male model. The third picture has yet to be finalised.