Despite critical acclaim and a star-studded cast that includes Hollywood heavyweights Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, and China's finest like Hong Kong movie star Anthony Wong Chau-Sang and mainland actor Xia Yu, The Painted Veil, which cost US$20 million to make, has not caused so much as a ripple at Chinese box-offices. In a bid to save the film from being axed altogether from mainland cinemas, some of the country's industry experts organized a campaign and seminar in Beijing on Saturday.

The Painted Veil, based on W. Somerset Maugham's novel of the same name, is set in 1920s China and was partly filmed in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. To make the film more appealing to Chinese audiences, elements of resplendent Chinese scenery, Peking Opera, Chinese warlords, and anti-British riots in Shanghai were added. However, it would seem that director John Curran's efforts were not enough to do the trick.

Half a month into screening, box office takings in China managed only about two million yuan (US$256,697), insignificant compared to Curse of the Golden Flower and Confession of Pain, two films currently hogging the mainland cinema limelight.

Although the film premiered during the New Year holiday season, it has only been given off-peak screening slots and has been shown no more than twice a day in any one cinema. This has angered the film's distributor, Warner China Film HG Corp (Warner HG), which marketed some 157 copies.

Film experts and general audiences, too, are a little miffed about the handling of the year's most expensive love story. Cinemagoers have said they would love to see this film but they have not been able to find a cinema that screens it. And those who have seen it have given it the thumbs-up.

So what's wrong with the film? That's what Warner HG wanted to find out. They organized a screening for thousands of students at Peking University, which was a huge success and spelled the start of a viral marketing campaign in support of the film.

Ellen Eliasoph, director and vice president of Warner HG, urged those who had seen it to spread the word. According to Chinese media reports, film associations and groups from 13 universities in Beijing have made a call to support the film, with over 3,000 people having pledged their support so far.

Warner China Film HG Corp organized a screening for thousands of students at Peking University, which was a huge success and spelled the start of a viral marketing campaign in support of the film.

The campaign culminated in a seminar in Beijing  -- attended by Chinese film industry experts, film critics, Peking University professors and Warner HG executives -- to discuss the film, its distribution and promotion.

Warner HG was hoping to repeat the success of their low-budget sleeper hit last year, Crazy Stone. Experts agreed that The Painted Veil, which cost US$20 million to make, is a top-class production with outstanding performances by its lead actors and the potential to become a love classic. However, its very peaceful and beautiful nature means that it lacks a certain debate-provoking oomph.

Raymond Zhou, a China Daily journalist and famed Chinese film critic, said this film reminded him of Sydney Pollack's Out of Africa, albeit a less magnificent version. Zhou suggested that more aerial shots might have given the film more of an epic feel.

Professor Chen Xuguang, echoing the view of several other experts, said, "The film is abundant in every and each aspect," but pointed out that more Chinese would be inclined to see it if more Chinese elements were added.

But Eliasoph disagreed and defended Curran for having added enough chinoiserie. She added that Maugham's original story, in any case, has China only as a physical background.

Zhang Wei, another film expert, was of a different view. He said the film is actually about Chinese traditional values: how a man deals with his wife's love affairs and fights to win back her love.

"But Chinese film audiences have had too much of Hollywood-style blockbusters. They don't want to see a Chinese story in the shell of a Hollywood production," Zhang said.

Chinese film industry experts, film critics, professors and Warner HG executives attended a seminar at Peking University to discuss the film, its distribution and promotion.

To add to The Painted Veil's woes, this is the competitive screening season, which isn't traditionally kind to delicate love stories. Although reviews have been mixed about Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower, the larger-than-life production continues to dominate the box offices, selling almost 300 million yuan (US$38.5 million) worth of tickets to date.

Other movies that have been muscled out by Golden Flower include Still Life, Jia Zhangke's Best Film winner at the Venice Film Festival. It opened on the same day as Golden Flower to much fanfare and high expectations, but it only managed a dismal one million yuan (US$128,333) at the box offices.

This is the inherent problem with China's film distribution system, which is essentially one channel for both art-house and mainstream movies. However, the fact that Warner Bros. no longer owns a cinema network in China is another factor hampering distribution and promotion. Just last November, Warner Bros. announced that its subsidiary Warner Bros. International Cinemas was pulling out of its investments in China's cinema market citing regulatory changes.

Warner HG's vice presidents Hu Min, Ellen Eliasoph and supporting actors Feng Li, Xia Yu of the film appeared on stage after Saturday's screening at Peking University.

But Eliasoph revealed that it was The Painted Veil's producers who decided the timing of the screening. Lead actress Naomi Watts, also one of the film's producers, wanted to make the deadline for this year's Academy Awards Best Actress nominations. But Watts has her work cut out for her. She's in the running with the likes of heavyweights Hellen Mirren (The Queen), Penelope Cruz (Volvver), Judi Dench (Notes On A Scandal) and Kate Winslet (Little Children).

The list of nominations for this year's Awards will be announced on January 23, and Eliasoph is hoping that the film garners a few, which could help to revive waning interest in it. According to movie website, Box Office Mojo, The Painted Veil has made US$1,440,940 in the US since its limited release on December 29, 2006.

Eliasoph said that the film will continue showing on Chinese screens for a while, with more cinemas having agreed to screen it.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Zhang Rui, January 15, 2007)