Star Image Media group (SIM) is one of the largest movie and TV content providers and producers, as well as entertainment management companies in China. Its operations cover a wide range of activities, including the production and distribution of movies, TV programs and videos, TV time slots operation and TV advertisement, talent agency services and organizing performances, etc. The first media company in China to establish a global operation, SIM was established in 1996 and is headquartered in Beijing, with branch offices in Los Angeles, USA and Singapore.

SIM’s business focuses mainly on distributing and broadcasting overseas movie and TV programs in China, and has occupied 15% share of the market. SIM’s movie distribution company owns a powerful theatrical release network, which covers over 1,200 screens of 115 cities in almost all provinces all over China. Each year, movies distributed by SIM share increasingly larger percentage of the national box-office. SIM’s TV program distribution network has covered more than 200 local channels, about 600 million population.

As China’s media industry opened to private enterprises, SIM became the first nongovernmental enterprise that has obtained the “License of TV Program Production and Distribution” and “License of Film Production and Distribution”. SIM has established a highly prestigious brand in Chinese film and TV industry, and become one of the best-known Chinese entertainment groups in overseas market. In 2001,it was awarded “one of the biggest buyers from China” by Television Asia. And many newspapers and magazines, such as Variety, Screen International, Television Asia and China Daily, have covered SIM as one of the key players in Chinese media industry.
Theatrical Release
As Chinese film industry is opening its door to private enterprises, SIM has become one of the major theatrical distributors in China. SIM’s holding companies are the shareholders of two major cinema chains, which covers 220 cinemas in 15 big cities including Beijing and Shanghai.

SIM has established its own independent theatrical distribution network, which covers over 1,200 screens in 115 cities of 26 provinces. The box-office of SIM distributed movies shares 10% of the total Chinese movie box-office. For three consecutive years, each year two movies distributed by SIM enters the List of Top Ten Box-office Hits. Among them, “Computer Wife”, “The Fly Cop” and “Chinese Ghost Stories---Painting Skin” are most popular ones, which Chinese audience are very familiar with.

In recent years, through cooperating with China Film Corporation, SIM plays an important role in importing overseas movies to China.. In 2003, SIM released 8 overseas titles theatrically.. Among these movies, “My Tutor Friend” (South Korea) and “The Last Cop” (India) entered the Top Ten Box-office Hits of Overseas Movies in China.
Following China’s entry of WTO, the quota for importing overseas movies will increase gradually, and our demand for overseas movies will definitely increase in the near future.
The Production and Co-production of Movie
As the first private entertainment group which has entered the international market, SIM is also the first Chinese production company which cooperates with international producers. Computer Wife, co-produced by SIM, Singapore and Taiwan in 1997, has achieved 33million yuan box-office in Chinese market, and was one of the top grossers..
The Distribution of Videos
Sharing an important part of the home video market, SIM’s home video distribution network covers 160 cities and 2,100 retail shops, which is capable of delivering videos to most China cities. In 2002, SIM was awarded by the Ministry of Culture of China the title of “Outstanding National Video distributor”.
SIM video products share 8% of the total imported movies and programs, categories including movies, TV dramas, cartoons, documentaries and educational programs. SIM releases about 250 foreign pictures and 300 hours’ programs in video each year.
In 2003, SIM successfully distributed in video market American Action series, the World Awarded Picture Series, and Korean Box-office Hits Series, and achieved an average sale of 100,000 copies each. Meanwhile, video series, such as,“New Cartoon Classics” and “Contact the World” have been awarded “the Annual Best Video Award ” by the Ministry of Culture.
Entertainment Management:
SIM’s talent agent business grows along with its development in film and TV production. With a focus on cross national co-production, it signed a number of overseas stars who have strong appeal in China, such as the NO.1 Korean young idol WON BIN.
The company has also planned and successfully launched a series of high profile events, including the Showcase of International Award Winning Documentaries in China, the China film Festival in Singapore.
SIM’s outstanding performance in Chinese and international market have drawn widespread attention from domestic media, including “China Daily”, “The People’s Daily”, “China Business”, “The Economic Observer” and “Beijing Youth”, as well as established overseas industry publications such as “Variety”, “Screen International” and “Television Asia”.