All articles by Liz Shackleton – Page 166
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Chinese press given warning
China's 50-strong state-owned press contingent has been ordered not to coversensitive subjects at the festival - in particular Lou Ye's controversialcompetition title Summer Palace. Sources say that followingan official communique from Beijing,a number of journalists returned home. Lou's film is creating controversybecause it screened in competition on Thursday at Cannes ...
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Bangkok changes dates to pre-Berlin slot
The BangkokInternational Film Festival has changed its dates to Jan 26 - Feb 5 after thisyear's new post-Berlin slot proved unsuccessful. According toJuthamas Siriwan, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) whichfunds the festival, next year's event will be jointly managed by US consultingfirm Film Festival Management (FFM) and ...
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Wu and Costo plan adoption drama Shanghai Blue
Chinese actress Vivian Wuand filmmaker Oscar Luis Costo are planning to shoot a drama about adoption in China, Shanghai Blue,from February 2007.The film is a follow-up tothe husband-and-wife team's debut Chinese production, Shanghai Red, which filmed in China last year. Costo will againwrite, direct and produce while Wu will star.The ...
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Three Dots bask in Eternal Summer
Taiwan's Three Dots Entertainment, whichrecently launched a sales arm, has picked up international rights to LesteChen's gay youth drama Eternal Summer, starringJoseph Chang, Bryant Chang and Kate Yeung.The film, currently is shooting in Taiwan,tells the story of two schoolboys who are forced to become friends by theirteacher and then develop ...
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MK2 takes Lau and Mak's Confession
Hong Kong's Media Asia Distribution haspre-sold all French-speaking rights to Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's ConfessionOf Pain to France's MK2.Infernal Affairs star Tony Leung Chiu-wai willstar in the $8-10m project which is scheduled to start shooting in June forpan-Asian release during Christmas 2006. Takeshi Kaneshiro (Perhaps Love,House Of Flying Daggers) ...
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Korea's Mirovision gets Hong Sang-soo's next film
Korea's Mirovision has inkeda deal with local production house bom Film Productions for both domestic andinternational distribution of Hong Sang-soo's next film, Woman On The Beach, which is currently in production.The project marks the firsttime Hong has worked with Bom, one of Korea's leading production houses withcredits including You're My ...
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Fortissimo picks up global on desert pic
Fortissimo Films has picked up world rights toSounds Of Sand directed by award-winning Belgiandirector Marion Hansel.Set against the backdrop of the Africandesert, the film features actors from Burkino Faso, Djibouti and Belgium in thestory of a group of African villagers driven away from their homes by drought,famine and the threat ...
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Brazil and Australia deals struck for 3 Needles: The Director's Cut
Canada's Emotion Pictureshas sold Bigfoot Entertainment's award-winning drama 3 Needles: TheDirector's Cut to ForceEntertainment for Australia and New Zealand and California Filmes for Brazil.US rights were recently sold to Wolfe Releasing in partnership with CovingtonUSA.Written and directed by ThomFitzgerald the film tells three separate stories that illustrate how HIVtransmission is ...
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Younggu Art hires Hollywood crew to finish D-War
Korean production houseYounggu Art has hired a top-flight Hollywood crew to finish post-production onits multi-million dollar sci-fi epic D-War, which was recently picked up for international sales by Korea'sShowbox.Directed by Shim Hyung-raeand starring Jason Behr and Amanda Brooks, the English-language film, about agiant serpent on the rampage in Los Angeles, ...
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Korea's Core Studio takes on Lee Myung-se horror project
Korea's Core Studio isfinancing and handling international sales on the first horror film from hotKorean director Lee Myung-se.Entitled M, the $5m film is a supernatural love story between a30-something writer and a mysterious young girl. It's currently being scriptedand production is expected to start in September or October. Core Studio ...
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Dutch Filmworks strikes deal for King's Black Sheep
Dutch Filmworks has acquiredBenelux rights to Jonathan King's comedy horror Black Sheep from NZ Film.The film, which recentlycompleted its shoot in New Zealand, was previously sold to Icon for the UK,Australia and New Zealand. Jiants has rights for Thailand, Singapore andMalaysia.Produced by PhilippaCampbell, Black Sheep is set on avast sheep ...
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Klockworx snaps up Japanese rights to Ong Bak 2
Thailand's SahamongkolfilmInternational has sold hotly anticipated Tony Jaa vehicle Ong Bak 2 to Japan's Klockworx.Jaa will star in and serveas action choreographer on the $12-$15m film and is also considering whether todirect. Prachya Pinkaew, director ofthe original Ong Bak and TomYum Goong, will produce. Jaa'smentor and action choreographer Panna Rittikrai ...
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Hong Kong's Emperor, Sundream set to steal together
Hong Kong's Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) has added severalnew titles to its slate in the run-up to Cannes, including action adventure Let's Steal Together, set to star pop duo Twins.A co-production with Hong Kong's Sundream Motion Pictures, the film revolves around several gangs ofthieves chasing a religious relic. It will ...
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Fortissimo closes raft of sales on Frank Gehry
Fortissimo Films has closedseveral sales on Sydney Pollack's documentary Sketches Of Frank Gehry on the eve on Cannes.The film, which is screeningin official selection out-of-competition at Cannes, has gone to Germany's Kinowelt, Israel's United King and Wise Policy in Japan. It was previously sold to Bim for Italy and Pathe ...
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Shochiku does Kafka in animation debut
Japan's Shochiku is launching two animatedfilms from high-profile directors at Cannes, marking the first time it hasproducedtheatrical animations in-house.The first film, The Country Doctor,is based on Franz Kafka's short prose of the same name and is being directed byKoji Yamamura who picked up an Oscar nomination for his short film ...
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Cannes to go ahead with Summer Palace premiere
One day before Lou Ye's SummerPalace screens in competition atCannes, the controversial film has yet to receive a greenlight from China'scensors, but according to the festival the competition screening will go ahead.The film was made in Chinathrough official channels, but according to Chinese regulations, the censorshipcommittee of the Film Bureau ...
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Weinstein Co takes US rights to Seven Swords
The Weinstein Company has acquiredUS theatrical and video rights to Tsui Hark's martial arts epic Seven Swords from Fortissimo Films. The deal follows a recentsale to Montreal-based distributor Seville Pictures which acquired Canadianrights. Fortissimo has also sold the film widely in Europe. Produced by Tsui's FilmWorkshop with Chinese and Korean ...
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SCB pacts with Kong for Golden Flower financing
Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) has signed an agreement with award-winning local producer Bill Kong toprovide financing for the production of Zhang Yimou's Curse Of The Golden Flower. Currently shooting at China's Hengdian World Studios, the $45m film is producedby Kong and Beijing New Picture Film Co with Focus Features ...
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Fortissimo acquires Apichatpong's Syndromes
Fortissimo Films hasacquired worldwide rights to acclaimed Thai director ApichatpongWeerasethakul's Syndromes And A Century.The film, which is one of thesix New Crowned Hope (NCH) projects, focuses on the memories of two doctors,one male and one female, and is inspired by the filmmaker's parents before theywere lovers. Apichatpong also producedthrough Kick ...
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Movie Eye's Longest Night shooting in Shanghai
Japan's Movie Eye Entertainment has teamed up with Beijing-based MegadiaEntertainment to co-produce a $5m romantic drama with the working title The Longest Night In Shanghai.Directed by Zhang Yibai, whofirst came to attention with acclaimed drama Spring Subway, the film stars leading Chinese actress Vicki Zhaoand Japanese star Masahiro Motoki. Currently ...