Asia Film Company
The Asia Film Company was the first film production company in China.
History
The Asia Film Company was established in Shanghai in 1909 by Benjamin Polaski, a Russian-American businessman. Polanski left the city in 1912 and sold his assets to two other Americans. They continued the work of the Company, collaborating with the Xinmin theatre company, led by Zheng Zhengqiu and Zhang Shichuan. The Company was dissolved in 1914, when the First World War created a shortage of film stock.[1]
Films
The Company's productions mainly consisted of actualities and comedy shorts. In 1913, it also produced Nanfu nanqi (A Couple in Trouble), a feature-length film about arranged marriage. This was directed by Zheng Zhengqiu and written by Zhang Shichuan.[1]