 Rights to distribute the film were purchased by the China Film Group Corporation , a state @-@ sponsored organization , and the government actively promoted the film . It was officially released in mainland China in April 1999 , although there were showings as early as mid @-@ February . Sheldon H. Lu reports that the film grossed ¥ 18 million , an average amount , in its first three months of showing ; by the end of its run in November , it sold ¥ 40 million at the box office . ( In comparison , Zhang 's 2002 film Hero would earn ¥ 270 million three years later . ) Nevertheless , Not One Less was the highest @-@ grossing domestic film of 1999 , and <unk> Pang has called it a " box office success " . In the United States , the film was released in theaters on 18 February 2000 , and grossed $ 50 @,@ 256 in its first weekend and $ 592 @,@ 586 overall ; The release was handled by Sony Pictures Classics , and home video distribution by Columbia TriStar ; Not One Less was Columbia 's first Chinese film . 
