Spotlight team receive the award.
Film still of Spotlight
(From left to right) Jack Gao, Vice President of Wanda Cultural Industry Group, Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films, and Elizabeth Frank, Executive Vice President at AMC Entertainment Holdings, take a photo together.Spotlight, produced by Open Road Films, a subsidiary of AMC Theatres, won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday. This is first time since Wanda Group's acquisition of AMC Theatres that an Open Road Film picture has received the award, and also marks the highest accolade ever received by a Chinese company in the global film arena. Wanda Chairman Wang Jianlin sent a letter of congratulations to AMC Chief Executive Officer and President Adam Aron as soon as he received the news.
Spotlight is a real-life drama following a team of Boston Globe journalists as they investigate allegations against a ring of priests accused of pedophilia. High praise has been rolling in since its release and the film was ultimately awarded Best Picture. Alongside Best Picture, Spotlight also won Best Original Screenplay and received four nominations, including Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and Film Editing.
Two other Wanda films have also gained global traction this year. Go Away! Mr. Tumor was selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards, and South Paw was the first Hollywood film in which Wanda Group has invested. Both films have made a sizeable impact in the US.
The film sector is one of Wanda’s most important businesses in recent years as Wanda has continuously increased its influence in the global film market. AMC and Wanda Cinemas went public separately in the US and China while Wanda Cinemas acquired Australia’s second largest cinema chain HOYTS Cinema. Wanda has now become the world’s largest cinema operator. Wanda’s acquisition of Legendary Entertainment in January, 2016, China’s largest cross-border cultural acquisition to date, also makes Wanda the world’s biggest film enterprise.
