UK sales house Capitol Films has boarded Hong Kong art-house star Fruit Chan's forthcoming Hollywood Hong Kong, picking up rights outside Asia. Within Asia the film continues to be sold by Carrie Wong's Golden Network.

Set to premiere in the main competition section in Venice next month, the film is the second in Chan's trilogy featuring Chinese prostitutes after Durian Durian. It seeks to explain how mainland China is now influencing everyday life in Hong Kong and tells the story of a poor Chinese hooker who is idolised and fought over by three Hong Kong restaurateurs.

"It is the first film of his that we have handled," said Capitol co-managing director, Sharon Harel. "But he is an enormous talent and a director we have been tracking for some time."

Hollywood Hong Kong is produced by Chan's Nicetop Independent and Japan's Hakuhodo, France's Movement Pictures and Hong Hong's Media Suits and Golden Network.

Although Capitol has not previously been a major distributor of Asian films it previously handled Edward Yang's A One And A Two (Yi Yi) and is now expected to expand its Asian presence. "We are looking to handle several more Asian films and maybe announce some before Mifed," said Harel.

Last month the outfit, which is headed jointly by Jane Barclay, picked up David Cronenberg's psycho-thriller Spider which is now shooting with Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Richardson starring (Screendaily, July 24).

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