MUMBAI: Columbia Pictures has, for the first time, acquired the world rights of Hong Kong film, A Hope, it is reliably learnt.

A Hope is a comedy film that stars Stephen Chow, who was last seen in Kungfu Hustle. Chow has also scripted this movie. In A Hope, he plays a poor Chinese labourer.

Sony Pictures Classics will distribute this film in North America. The release date is not yet decided.