All articles by Liz Shackleton – Page 168
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Hong Kong FilMart set for 15% increase in exhibitors
The Hong Kong TradeDevelopment Council (TDC) is expecting more than 400 exhibitors from 20countries to attend this year's Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FilMart),a 15% increase on last year. The market, which celebratesits 10th anniversary this year, is running one day longer than usual(March 20-23) following comments from ...
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Emperor Motion Pictures closes sales on The Myth
Hong Kong's Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) has closed three major European territories on Jackie Chan actionadventure The Myth at the European FilmMarket. France's Metropolitan has acquired the $20m picture, produced by Chan's JCEMovies, along with Germany's Splendid and Spain's Manga. The film, whichstars Chan, Tony Leung Ka-fai and Bollywoodactress Mallika ...
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Nexo eats Fortissimo's Candy
Fortissimo Films sold hot Competitiontitle Candy to Italy's Nexo just prior to its official screening in Berlin.The film directed by Neil Armfield and starring Heath Ledger, was also sold to Germany's Concorde on the eve of the market while Turkey's ANS bought itat the European Film Market.Fortissimo also solddocumentary This ...
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Gaga sells Waters to Intercontinental Group
Japan'sGaga has sold Waters, the first filmfrom its Gaga Films production banner, to Hong Kong'sIntercontinental Group.Directed by Ryo Nishimura, the film is about seven young menwho try to make a living by setting up their own "host club" in a desolateseaside bar. The ensemble cast includes Oguri Shun,Matsuo Toshinobu, Suga ...
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Shochiku closes multiple deals on Fox
Continuing the Fox feverthat has swept through the EFM, Japan's Shochiku has sealed several deals on itslive-action Helen The Baby Foxincluding a sale to France's Metropolitan.Directed by Keita Kouno andstarring Takao Osawa and Yasuko Matsuyuki alongside the eponymous fox, the filmhas also been sold to Korea's IMX Inc, Taiwan's Long ...
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Wong Kar-wai prepares Nights with Norah Jones
Wong Kar-wai is gearing upto work this year with multi-platinum singer Norah Jones who will make heracting debut in his first English-language film which has the working title My Blueberry Nights.Based on a short film thatWong shot in Hong Kong several years ago, the film will be co-produced byStudioCanal and ...
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Gaga reveals ambitious domestic and international plans
Japan's new-look Gaga plans to produce up to 10Japanese films a year, in addition to international co-productions, as part ofa drive to expand its production activities.Since launching production banner Gaga Films lastyear, the company has already shot two Japanese features - Ryo Nishimura's Waters,which opens in Japan next month, and ...
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Pusan fest cements plans for AFM
The Pusan International FilmFestival (PIFF) has unveiled details of the full-scale film market it plans tolaunch this year - the Asian Film Market (AFM) - which takes place during the11th edition of the festival from Oct 15-18.The four-day market has anew venue at the Grand Hotel in the Haeundae beach ...
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Korea's iHQ to branch into English-language filmmaking
Korea's iHQ is set to branch into English-languagefilmmaking with documentary-style comedy horror American Zombie to be directed by Korean-American filmmaker GraceLee.iHQ willco-produce with LA-based LeeLee Films, headed byIn-Ah Lee, whose credits include Wim Wenders' Don't ComeKnocking and Land Of Plenty.The film will be iHQ's firstproduction shot entirely in the USas ...
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Fortissimo sells Cut Sleeve Boys to here! Films
US independent here! Films hasacquired North American rights to UKcomedy Cut Sleeve Boys fromFortissimo Films.Written and directed by Ray Yeung,the film is set in London'sunderground drag club scene and focuses on the British Chinese gay experienceincluding an all-male production of the MissPacific Rim Beauty Pageant.Outside of gay and lesbian film ...
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Listener secures sales and slot in Berlin's special section
Fortissimo Films has secured a raft ofpost-Sundance sales on The NightListener, starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette, including Telepool in Germany andIcon in the UK.The Berlinale hasalso announced that the psychological suspense thriller has been added to thefestival's Berlinale Special Section. Both directorPatrick Stettner and Armistead Maupin, on whosebest-selling novel ...
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Media Asia Distribution pre-sells Johnnie To's Exiled
Hong Kong's Media Asia Distributionhas pre-sold Johnnie To'supcoming thriller Exiled to a raft ofterritories including Sharada for Italyand Cineart for Benelux.The $5m film, which started shooting last November in Macau,has also gone to Videosonic for Greece and Cyprus,Taiwan's Long Shong, WPM Films in Thailand and Galaxy Studio in Vietnam.Produced by ...
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Chinese masters crank up new productions
Two of mainland China's leading film-makers - Zhang Yimou and Jiang Wen -are currently working on new projects that look set to raise considerableinterest in international markets.Following his quietdrama Riding Alone ForThousands Of Miles, Zhang Yimou is returning to the big-budget arenawith a $45m costume drama, starring Chow Yun-fat and ...
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Fearless storms across Asia over Chinese New Year
Fearless,the latest martial arts epic from uber-producer Bill Kong, had a strong openingweekend (Jan 26-29) across Asia over the Chinese New Year holiday grossing $7.5mfrom six territories. The film, directed by RonnyYu and starring Jet Li, Nakamura Shidou and Collin Chou, racked up a mighty $3.7m(RMB30m) in China and $1m ...
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China's Huayi Brothers brings Banquet to Berlin
Beijing-based productioncompany Huayi Brothers Film Investment will be making its debut as a seller atthe upcoming European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin.The company will be offeringits two latest productions - The Banquetand One Foot Off The Ground - whichrecently wrapped and are both in post-production. Period drama The Banquet, which ...
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Miike's Big Bang Love joins Panorama line-up
Japan's Shochiku hasannounced that Big Bang Love, Juvenile A,the latest outing by prolific cult filmmaker Takashi Miike, has been selectedto compete in the Panorama section of the upcoming Berlin International FilmFestival. Starring Ryuhei Matsuda (Gohatto) and Masanobu Ando (Battle Royale), the film tells the storyof a young man who, while ...
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Warner Bros goes west with Sichuan partnership
Warner Bros InternationalCinemas (WBIC) is expanding into the mid-south and southwest corners of China through a strategic partnership with Sichuan PacificCinema Circuit, one of the leading circuits under China Film Group. The two partners will makejoint efforts to explore this region of China which is relatively undeveloped compared to thewealthier ...
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Disney denies plans for Beijing theme park
Disney has denied reports inthe Hong Kong and mainland China press that it plans to build a theme park in Beijing by 2010.Local newspapers reported onTuesday (Jan 17) that the Beijingcity government had suggested a Disney theme park would be one of ten facilitiesestablished at the upcoming National New Media ...
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Shochiku adds four dramas to busy Berlin slate
In addition to its upcomingsamurai films, Japan's Shochiku has added four new dramas to its international sales slate,which it will be launching at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.Heading the slate is thelatest film from prolific cult director Takashi Miike, Big Bang Love, Juvenile A, which will receive its ...
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Media Asia appoints Chong as CEO
Media Asia has appointedJohn Chong as chief executive officer of the company following the retirementof previous CEO Jerry Liu. Chong co-founded Media Asiain 1995 and previously held the position of executive deputy chairman and wasan executive director with responsibility for film production, marketing anddistribution. Media Asia said in astatement that ...