The Number

15 MILLION YUAN

Film director Zhang Yimou claimed in a lawsuit hearing on Wednesday that New Pictures film company owed him 15 million yuan ($2.4 million). Zhang said New Pictures, a Hong Kong company, and he agreed to share equally revenue minus promotional costs of the film A Simple Noodle Story, but he never received the money, according to Beijing Dongcheng District People's Court. Zhang said he signed an agreement with New Pictures in 2009. Media reports said Zhang and New Pictures ended their decadelong cooperation in 2012.