Arclight Films' Easternlight division will handle international sales, excluding certain Asian territories, to recently completed martial arts action epic Champions, produced by Hong Kong-based Sundream Motion Pictures.

The film, which is directed by veteran filmmaker and Sundream president Tsui Siuming, centres on the Chinese martial arts team that participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Tsui also produced the film with Sundream's Amy Li and Tom Cheung. Dicky Cheung heads the cast along with Xie Miao, Priscilla Wong and Debbie Goh. Sundream also recently produced Zhang Yibai's Lost Indulgence, which screened at Tribeca earlier this year, and was a co-producer on Yu Lik-wai's Venice competition title Plastic City.

Territories excluded from Easternlight's deal on Champions are Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Sundream will release the film in Hong Kong later this year while Enlight Pictures will handle distributionin mainlandChina.

Easternlight managing director Ying Ye said: ' China made its very first mark in the Olympic Games in 1936 when nine martial artists participated in the Games. Their showcase performance stunned the world and created a martial arts frenzy in Europe.

'Champions is the story of the individual who brought kung-fu onto the world stage, and is an homage to the classic Shaw Brothers kung-fu movies.'

Easternlight will screen the film and commence sales at the upcoming American Film Market (AFM).

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