Global Entertainment Group (GEG), a UK-based media and entertainment company, has entered the Hong Kong film market with the production of Derek Yee's Protege, shooting in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. 　　

 

Johnny Ho, Chairman of GEG, procured a 2 million pound load in order to finance the film, starring Andy Lau, Daniel Wu, Lois Koo and Anita Yuen. Protege was the company's first feature film, co-produced with Hong Kong's Artforce International Ltd.

 

Yee, who directed the recent films 2 Young and Drink Drank Drunk won the Best Director award at the 2005 Hong Kong Film Awards for One Night In Mongkok. 　　

 

GEG has focused on producing a film with bankable stars, and Lau is exactly that. Between 1985 and 2005 his films made 1.76 billion HKD at the box office. 　　

 

GEG primarily focuses on the production and acquisition of media content for the Asian market, particularly India and China, in an attempt to capitalize on the rapid population and economical growth of those two countries. The company has offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, London and India. 　　

 

GEG has also signed a deal to produce a Chinese drama series. Their partners are Taihu Media which in turn is partnered with China Central Television, the PRC's national television network which runs 15 satellite TV channels that cover around 90% of the population. GEG and Taihu plans to start with a series based on Gulong's famous novel Da Ren Wu. 　　

 

Protege will be released on the 14th of February 2007.

 

(hkfilmart September 27, 2006)