New York, NY – Asian Media Rights (AMR) announced the upcoming launch of their premiere label for distributing Asian feature films across a range of North American outlets. The Asian Crush label will package a diverse array of Asian films for video-on-demand on cable, satellite, and telco systems, in addition to several major broadband outlets.

Beginning in December, subscribers to most major cable, satellite and telco systems will be able to view first-run feature films from Japan, Korea, Thailand, China, and the U.S. through their on-demand services. “Our mission is to create a meaningful and sustainable storefront in today’s evolving digital marketplace, a place where the best Asian films can find the audience they so richly deserve,” said Michael Hong, co-founder and Managing Director of AMR. 

AMR has a catalog of over 200 recent titles, including blockbusters, anime, horror, and art-house films. All films from Asia will be subtitled in English. The initial offering will span this range of genres, including Korea’s 2010 box-office hit Secret Reunion, the Asian-American Queer Musical, Fruit Fly, the anime classic The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and a festival favorite from Thailand, Best of Times.

AMR has acquired content from some of Asia’s leading film studios and distributors, including Japan’s Bandai, Pictures Dept, Dongyu and Nikkatsu; Thailand’s GTH, Sahamongkol Films and Five Star Production; and Korea’s Showbox and Mirovision. AMR has exclusive rights to all the Mobile Suit Gundam anime feature films, blockbuster horror films like Thailand’s Phobia 1 and 2, and Korean hits like Rough Cut and Running Turtle. “For far too long, the growing legion of Asian cinephiles in North America have been deprived of having top Asian films released here, and we’re here to change that,” said David Chu, co-founder and Managing Director of AMR.

The December launch will place Asian Crush’s titles in up to 50 million cable and satellite homes in the U.S. AMR will refresh new titles across each system on a monthly basis. Canadian distribution is slated for 2Q 2011.