Shutting down Asian films

APA Heritage month has been a bad month for film studios distributing international films. Over the weekend, Tartan USA announced that they are shutting down after almost four years in the USA. Tartan Video and its 101 titles are being sold by Palisades Media Asset Fund LLC. Tartan's Asian titles include big films like Oldboy, Election, Election 2 (aka Triad Election), and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance.

Earlier this month, Warner Bros shut down two subsidiaries, Picture House and Warner Independent Pictures. Warner Independent Pictures brought us Eros and The Promise, while Picture House will be distributing upcoming film Mongol, Tadanobu Asano's Genghis Khan flick.

Hopefully, other distributors like Palm Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Lions Gate, Anchor Bay, Sony Pictures, The Weinstein Company, and Imagianasian Pictures won't be shutting down soon. The really sad part is that the original Asian films aren't get distributed, but Hollywood is raking in the money and Oscars with the remakes like The Ring (Japan - Ringu), The Grudge (Japan - Ju-On), and The Departed (Hong Kong - Infernal Affairs). Next remake - My Sassy Girl.

Watch the trailer for the upcoming film Mongol due out in June 6th.