Korean importer/producer Sponge Entertainment has announced a deal with leading exhibitor CJ CGV to screen a slate of Sponge's upcoming local independent films.

The films will be screened under the CGV Movie Collage label, an arthouse/independent cinema brand at CGV multiplexes.

Sponge Entertainment, best known for importing and distributing arthouse films such as Babel , Maison de Himiko and I'm Not There, has also recently delved into co-producing low-budget films including Kim Ki-duk's Dream, Jang Hun's Rough Cut and triptych Tokyo ! with shorts by Michel Gondry, Bong Joon-ho and Leo Carax.

The new slate includes Hong Sang-soo's highly-anticipated Jal Aljido Mot Hamyeonsuh (original title), romantic film Oishi Man, directed by J.J. Kim (Hers); Pusan festival entry Sister's On The Road starring Gong Hyo-jin and Shin Min-ah, and smuggler drama Boat, starring Ha Jung-woo (The Chaser) and Tsumabuki Satoshi (Pandemic).

The Sponge slate will also go to screens in Sponge's own Spongehouse cinemas as well as others. The company noted it expects the secure distribution network coupled with quality films to yield great results.

The deal follows the success of a slew of 'small films' at the Korean box office -including the documentary Old Partner, currently at number four in the Korean chart with 300,000 admissions, and sleeper hit Once, the Irish musicians' film from Summit Entertainment.

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