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Peter Loehr

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Peter Loehr is an American film producer and executive who spent the bulk of his career in Asia.

After getting his start in Japan and Taiwan, Loehr started China's first independent film company, Imar Film Co. in 1996.[1][2][3] As a producer Loehr was notable for not only producing films, but for being the first to market and distribute movies in house.[4]

Through Imar, Loehr produced five independent films in China: Spicy Love Soup,[5] A Beautiful New World,[6] Shower,[7] "All the Way"[8] and "Quitting".[9] These films went on to box office success in China with "Spicy Love Soup" winning many domestic awards.[10] "A Beautiful New World" attended the Berlin Film Festival and won awards both in China and at the Hawaii International Film Festival.[11] "Shower" won many awards at international festivals including Toronto, San Sebastian, Thessaloniki, Rotterdam, Udine and Seattle,[7] and "Quitting" won awards at the Bangkok,[12][13] Singapore [14] and Stockholm Film Festivals.[15]

In 2002 Loehr formed a new entity, Ming Productions and produced four more films: "Sunflower",[16][17] "Jade Warrior",[18] "The Children of Huang Shi" and "One Last Dance".

"Sunflower" (directed by Zhang Yang, starring Sun Haiying and Joan Chen) won Best Director and Best Cinematography awards at the 2005 San Sebastian Film Festival.[19] Loehr's seventh film, "One Last Dance" (directed by Max Makowski, starring Francis Ng, Ti Lung and Harvey Keitel) attended the Sundance Film Festival in the World Dramatic Competition.[20] In 2005, Loehr was a producer on "Jade Warrior", a Finnish/Dutch/Estonian co-production that premiered at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival and had strong opening weekends at both the Chinese and Finnish box offices[21][22] In 2007, Loehr was a producer on "The Children of Huang Shi", a German/Australian/Chinese co-production directed by Roger Spottiswoode and starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh. The film was released world-wide in 2008.[23][24]

In January 2005, Peter Loehr became managing director of the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in China.[25][26] During Loehr's seven-year tenure leading CAA in Asia, the agency grew to represent over fifty artists in China, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea.[27][28] CAA was also involved the packaging of over 50 films by filmmakers like Xu Zheng, & Ning Hao. Between 2005-2012, CAA China directors and actors won awards including the Golden Horse for best Actor (Huang Bo)[29] and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival (Wang Quanan).[30] Talent signed to CAA during Loehr's tenure as managing director, including Daniel Wu and Karen Mok.[31]

In April 2012, Peter Loehr joined Legendary Pictures and became CEO of its China joint venture - Legendary East, a film company focusing on big budget Sino-US co-productions with subjects based on Chinese history, mythology, or culture.[32] Loehr was central to bringing Chinese financiers into some decidedly US films like "Warcraft", "Kong: Skull Island" and "Pacific Rim 2".[33] He was one of the producers of The Great Wall, directed by Zhang Yimou, and starring Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe, Pedro Pascal and Andy Lau. The Great Wall was the largest ever US-China co-production, and the largest production ever shot in China.[34] It was released worldwide through Universal Studios in 2017 and grossed over $334 million worldwide, including $170 million in China.[35]

In 2016 Legendary Entertainment was sold to Wanda Group.[36][37] Loehr exited Legendary in 2017.[38]

Since October 2019, Loehr serves on the board of IMAX China Holdings,[39] the Hong Kong listed China arm of IMAX Corporation, as an advisor to the Hong Kong Film Financing Forum, as Asia advisor for Genies, Inc. and as director of his production company, PX Productions.[40][41]

Peter Loehr is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service[42] and speaks fluent Mandarin and Japanese.[42][40][43]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kehr, Dave (June 30, 2000). "Being an Indie In China Is Hard". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Chang, Leslie (December 30, 1999). "China Noir, or How a Foreigner Battles For Independent Films" – via www.wsj.com.
  3. ^ "Interview: After "Spicy Love Soup," Zhang Takes "Shower"". July 7, 2000.
  4. ^ "BIZ: Taming the Dragon: Part II, Two Approaches to China's Film Market". December 8, 2000.
  5. ^ Elley, Derek (June 29, 1998). "Spicy Love Soup".
  6. ^ Saroch, Andrew. "A Beautiful New World (1999) - Review".
  7. ^ a b "Shower - Filmmakers". www.sonyclassics.com.
  8. ^ "Peter Loehr | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
  9. ^ "Quitting". catalog.library.vanderbilt.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  10. ^ "Spicy Love Soup (1997) Awards & Festivals". mubi.com.
  11. ^ "A Beautiful New World (1999) | MUBI" – via mubi.com.
  12. ^ "Zhang Yang: China\'s Film Market be Polarized which Leaves Room for Artistic Movies". www.siff.com. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "Quitting Movie Preview, Starring Jia Hongsheng, Directed by Yang Zhang". www.boxofficeprophets.com. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Wee, Brandon (September 22, 2002). "Singapore International Film Festival 2002". Kinema: A Journal for Film and Audiovisual Media. doi:10.15353/kinema.vi.991. ISSN 2562-5764.
  15. ^ "MMI Special Report: Stockholm International Film Festival, November 8-18, 2001". www.shoestring.org. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  16. ^ Frater, Patrick (November 25, 2001). "Loehr's Ming dynasty aims to rule in Asia". Screen.
  17. ^ Frater, Patrick (February 26, 2004). "AFM: Sunflower takes root for Zhang". Screen.
  18. ^ Shackleton, Liz (May 30, 2003). "Fortissimo picks Zhang's Sunflower". Screen.
  19. ^ "San Sebastian Film Festival". sansebastianfestival. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  20. ^ 2006 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FILMS IN PREMIERES SECTION
  21. ^ Shackleton, Liz (May 17, 2005). "Finns fly to China for kung fu co-production Jade Warrior". Screen.
  22. ^ Coonan, Clifford (October 13, 2006). "China welcomes 'Warrior'".
  23. ^ "The Children of Huang Shi". Box Office Mojo.
  24. ^ Kay, Jeremy (October 27, 2006). "Rhys Meyers, Mitchell, Chow join Yeoh in Children". Screen.
  25. ^ "Who to know in China". Screen. February 7, 2011.
  26. ^ Shackleton, Liz (May 15, 2005). "CAA advances on Asia with Loehr hire, WEB alliance". Screen.
  27. ^ Frater, Patrick (August 1, 2008). "CAA brings tenpercentery to Asia".
  28. ^ "10 People to Know at the Busan International Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. October 8, 2011.
  29. ^ "2009 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival ::: Chinese Language Film Competition". Archived from the original on December 10, 2009.
  30. ^ Connolly, Kate (February 19, 2007). "Inner Mongolian herdswomen beat Jolie and Damon to top film prize in Berlin". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  31. ^ "Ties That Bind » >> PETER LOEHR". Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  32. ^ Finke, Nikki (May 3, 2012). "TOLDJA! CAA China's Peter Loehr Hired As Legendary East CEO".
  33. ^ Kay, Jeremy (April 14, 2014). "Seventh Son, Warcraft gets Chinese backing". Screen.
  34. ^ Qin, Amy (December 21, 2016). "'Great Wall' Producer on What Hollywood and China Can Teach Each Other". The New York Times.
  35. ^ "The Great Wall". Box Office Mojo.
  36. ^ Busch, Anita (January 12, 2016). "Chinese Conglom Wanda Group Seals $3.5 Billion Deal for Legendary Entertainment".
  37. ^ Frater, Patrick (January 12, 2016). "China's Wanda Acquires Legendary Entertainment for $3.5 Billion".
  38. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (May 11, 2017). "China Veteran Peter Loehr Exits Legendary Entertainment". The Hollywood Reporter.
  39. ^ "Biography". Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  40. ^ a b "Biography". Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  41. ^ Frater, Patrick (August 23, 2019). "Peter Loehr to Spearhead Asia Expansion of Genies Avatar Venture (Exclusive)".
  42. ^ a b Frater, Patrick (August 1, 2008). "CAA brings tenpercentery to Asia". Variety. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  43. ^ "Hong Kong Advisory Board". www.bafta.org. November 28, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
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