All articles by Geoffrey Macnab – Page 167
-
News
Headline on track for first western
Ambitious UK production outfit Headline (which recently snapped up the film rights to Peter Pan sequel, Peter Pan In Scarlet) is plotting its first western. The company has taken rights to Geraldine McCaughrean's bestseller Stop The Train!, set in the Oklahoma land rush.Stop The Train! Is the third McCaughrean project ...
-
News
A-Film picks up Small Gods for Benelux
Following its acquisition of Koen Mortier's controversial Ex-Drummer (sold by Wide Management), Benelux distributor A-Film has picked up another equally offbeat film from the same stable.Small Gods, made by brothers Dimitri and Nicolas Karakatsanis, is described by A-Films' Erik Engelen as 'extremely well shot and it is definitely a movie ...
-
News
Haneke's White Ribbon to tie up in February 2008
Further details are beginning to emerge of Michael Haneke's next project, The White Ribbon, being made through Les Films Du Losange, X-Filme and Vega.Legendary screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere has been working on the screenplay of the film, a period piece set during the last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.A sales agent ...
-
News
Olympic role for film in 2012
UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tessa Jowell (inCannes to declare the new UK/South Africa film co-production treatyoperational) gave an undertaking yesterday that film will be includedin the 'Cultural Olympiad' planned in London for the 2012 Olympics.'It is absolutely certain that film and British film success will ...
-
News
Lumina strikes The Workshop deal with UK's Revolver
In the run-up to Cannes, increasingly aggressive UK distributor Revolver has been on a buying spree.Among a handful of titles it has picked up in recent weeks is Jamie Morgan's provocative documentary The Workshop, one of the buzz titles at last month's Tribeca Festival. (Lumina is selling the film in ...
-
News
Joffe takes Corsan passage to India
Roland Joffe is India-bound. The Oscar winning British director (The Killing Fields, The Mission) is to direct $35 million epic Singularity with Aishwarya Rai (Provoked, Bride and Prejudice) in the leading role. The film, due to begin production early next year, is being produced and co-financed by Belgian outfit Corsan ...
-
News
Carnaby crawls into the Doghouse with Jake West
London-based Carnaby International has picked up worldwide rights to Jake West's comedy horror picture Doghouse, it was announced in Cannes.The company will introduce the project, due to shoot in the autumn, to buyers during the Cannes market.Also making its market debut is Welsh comedy, Bridge Of Lies, from Bafta-winning director ...
-
News
Black Book producer Maltha plans new WWII project with Isabella
Following his success with Black Book, producer San Fu Maltha is tackling another World War II-themed project. Maltha's company Fu Works is to partner with Els Vandevorst's Isabella Films on a film adaptation of bestseller, Winter in Wartime (Oorlogswinter), by former Dutch politician Jan Terlouw.The film tells the story of ...
-
News
Bridges steps up to join cast of $25m Weide film
In a move which is already whetting buyers' appetites, Jeff Bridges has joined the cast of Bob Weide's How To Lose Friends And Alienate People, the $25 million adaptation of Toby Young's bestselling satirical memoir about his time as a British journalist abroad, working in Manhattan. Bridges will be playing ...
-
Features
India - Mother figure
Fresh from The Namesake, prolific Indian director Mira Nair is working on two very different projects. She is set to direct the epic $100m Shantaram on four continents for Warner Bros. An adaptation of Gregory David Roberts' autobiographical novel, it is being produced by Initial Entertainment Group's Graham King and ...
-
News
More cast lines up for Wrathall's Good shooting in Budapest
Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker and Mark Strong have joined Viggo Mortensen in the cast of Good, John Wrathall's screen adaptation of the CP Taylor stage play, directed by Vicente Amorim.Principal photography has begun in Budapest on the film, in which Viggo Mortensen plays the lead role of John Halder, a ...
-
News
Mira Nair to executive produce Taraprevala's Little Zizou
Sooni Taraprevala, the award-winning screenwriter of The Namesake, Salaam Bombay and Such A Long Journey, is at work in Mumbai on her directorial debut, Little Zizou.The film, which started shooting late last month, stars Boman Irani and Mahabanoo Kotwal. It is being executive produced by Taraprevala's long-term collaborator, Mira Nair.The ...
-
News
Flanders Audiovisual Fund gets new injection of cash
In a move that will provide a major boost to Flemish film production, the Flanders Cultural Affairs Minister Bert Anciaux has announced plans to increase Government support for State film body, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF). Details of the funding emerged here in Cannes.Anciaux anticipates that the new injection of ...
-
News
Dreamachine picks up Link's Aftermath.
In one of its first major pick-ups since its launch earlier this spring, Dreamachine has announced start of production on Oscar winner Caroline Link's Aftermath. The film is co-produced by Constantin Film and Bavaria Film and will be shot on location in Germany. Dreamachine will handle worldwide sales. Writer-director Link ...
-
News
Moodysson to make first English-language film
Swedish director Lukas Moodysson is to begin work later this year on Mammoth, his first English-language feature. The film (which is being pre-sold in Cannes by Trust Film Sales) marks Moodysson's return to 'a more narrative style' in the vein of Together and Lilya 4-Ever after his recent experimental movies ...
-
News
Nordisk to handle Sandrew Metronome's Swedish features
Nordisk International Film Sales has signed an eye-catching deal to handle all Sandrew Metronome's upcoming Swedish feature films. Lena Rehnberg, head of production at Sandrew Metronome, signed the deal with Tine Klint, head of international sales at Nordisk. Through the new alliance, Nordisk will be handling sales on Sunstorm, a ...
-
News
Future Films and Celsius come on board for Vivaldi biopic
Boris Damast's Vivaldi biopic is picking up momentum. Producer and financier Future Films has now boarded the project, being made by Hand Picked Films and Mechaniks'. In Cannes today, it was confirmed that Celsius Entertainment will be handling sales. Joseph Fiennes stars as the legendary composer. Also in the cast ...
-
News
Portobello moves into sales through Fandango alliance
Eric Abraham's Portobello Pictures (the company behind Kolya and Dark Blue World) is taking the plunge into sales. Here on the Croisette, the British-based outfit has combined forces with Italian outfit Fandango to set up sales banner Portobello-Fandango. Each company has two films in the market. Portobello is introducing buyers ...
-
News
Diving Bell makes waves for Pathe
Before the market has even begun, Pathe Pictures International is reporting a roaring trade on Julian Schnabel's competition entry, The Diving Bell And The Butterfly. In advance of its world premiere next week, the adaptation of author Jean-Domninique Bauby's memoir about his life after he was incapacitated by a stroke, ...
-
News
Miami makeover for London gangster classic
Classic UK gangster film The Long Good Friday is to be re-made, it was confirmed in Cannes, with the action shifting to Miami. Handmade Films and Impact Pictures are partnering on the $50m project, written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Co-producers will be Patrick Meehan for HandMade ...