Beijing First to See 'Da Vinci Code'

BEIJING - A Beijing audience became the first to see "The Da Vinci Code" when it was shown here Wednesday, beating the official Cannes premiere by hours in a move that underscored Hollywood's efforts to woo Chinese viewers. "Da Vinci" is being given the widest release yet for a foreign film in China, with some 393 prints sent to theaters, breaking the record of 380 prints set by "King Kong" last year, said Li Chow, general manager in Beijing for distributor Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International and Sony Pictures Entertainment. [More]