Nanjing Massacre Drama ‘Dead to Rights’ Sets North America Release

Niu Vision Media and Echelon Studios are teaming to bring “Dead to Rights,” the Chinese wartime drama from director Shen Ao (“No More Bets”), to North American audiences.

The film, produced by Gong Geer of “The Wandering Earth” franchise fame, will open in U.S. and Canadian theaters Aug. 15 via Niu Vision Media distribution, with a streaming rollout planned for later this year.

Set against the backdrop of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and drawing from documented historical events, “Dead to Rights” follows A Chang (Liu Haoran of the “Detective Chinatown” franchise), a postman who assumes the identity of a photo developer to survive the Japanese occupation. Operating from within the walls of a Japanese-controlled studio, he covertly shelters Chinese soldiers and civilians in an act of quiet resistance.

The release continues Niu Vision and Echelon’s collaboration in bringing auteur-driven Asian cinema to international markets.

“‘Dead to Rights’ is a poignant, timely reminder of the human stories behind history’s darkest chapters,” said Niu Vision CEO Fukun Wang. “We’re thrilled to partner once again with Echelon Studios to bring this extraordinary film to American audiences, both in theaters and later via streaming.”

Sandro Gohoho, president of licensing and operations at Echelon Studios, added: “This is a story that demands to be seen. ‘Dead to Rights’ exemplifies the kind of bold, meaningful storytelling we’re committed to supporting. We’re thrilled to help bring Shen Ao’s voice to digital audiences across the U.S.”

The release continues the partnership between Niu Vision and Echelon following their collaboration on the Chinese thriller “Malice.”

Echelon Studios is an independent film producer and distributor with more than 20,000 titles across multiple genres, including international film, documentaries and shorts. The company acquires and distributes features…