Hong Kong (CNN) -- When China's most successful homegrown movie went on international release last month, hopes were high that the slapstick comedy, which has drawn comparisons with "The Hangover," would blaze a trail for Chinese-language cinema. But "Lost in Thailand," which picked up the highest grossing film at Hong Kong's Asian Film Awards on Monday night, flopped outside mainland China -- only collecting $57,000 in the United States and $72,000 in Hong Kong, according to figures from consultancies Film Business Asia and Beijing-based Entgroup. The film earned $202 million in China, making the unexpected hit the most profitable movie ever after Hollywood extravaganza "Avatar."
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Chinese-language movies a hard sell to international audiences
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Biggest domestic hit, Lost in Translation, flopped in U.S.
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Obstacles include poor marketing, lack of stars and cultural differences
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China in quest to be force on silver screen
Poor marketing, a lack of recognizable stars and plot lines and humor that get muddled in translation weigh against @placeholder films and it's a trend that's not improving despite the country's thriving movie industry.