China Lion will open Guo Jingming's film in Monterey Park, Calif., as well as in Vancouver and Toronto.

China Lion has set North American release dates for Guo Jingming's Tiny Times, a popular but controversial hit in mainland China. Set in fast-paced modern-day Shanghai, Tiny Times, which stars Kai Ko, Amber Guo, Rhydian Vaughan, explores the materialism of China's young adults and has grossed more than $80 million in China.

The film will open in Los Angeles County on July 26 at the AMC Atlantic Times Square 14 in Monterey Park as well as at the Cineplex SilverCity Riverport in Vancounver and the Cineplex Odeon Younge & Dundas in Toronto.

Far-fetched plot twists than an Almodovar film, "Tiny Times" is China's tween girl-power fantasy extraordinaire. Adapting his bestselling serial about four bosom friends dreaming of love and success in Shanghai, novelist and first-time director Guo Jingming doesn't have the best grasp of film language, but with its intoxicating sense of luxury it effectively taps into the nation's aspirational drive.

"Times" broke mainland opening-day B.O. records with about $11.9 million, then went on to gross more than $76.1 million in 18 days. Offshore, it's the fetching cast, rather than the blinding bling, that will prove the hotter selling point.

Hailed as "the most successful writer in China today" by the New York Times in 2008, 30-year-old publisher, novelist and media-celeb Guo is certainly his country's bestselling author, propped up by a colossal teen fan base. He adapted the film from the first volume of "Tiny Times," published in 2008; the other three instalments are all slated for screen adaptations, to be helmed by Guo, who studied film and TV in Shanghai.

All the very best for 'Tiny Times'

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