All articles by Patrick Frater – Page 22

  • News

    Five Euro distribs form Indie Circle buying pool

    2003-09-05T04:05:00Z

    Five European distribution companies have pooled ther resources to create a jointly-owned film acquisition service. The pool, dubbed Indie Circle, will have its offices in Paris and be headed by Christophe Mercier (see Screen International Sept 05 edition for profile).The five distributors are A-Film from the Netherlands, Cineart (Belgium), Frenetic ...

  • News

    Revolver turns to Sayles' Casa

    2003-09-05T00:00:00Z

    John Sayles' drama Casa De Los Babys has been picked up for Italian release by new distributor Revolver.The film, which plays in Venice's Controcorrente or Upstream section, tells the different life stories of six American women holed up in a South American motel while they await the bureaucratic processes necessary ...

  • News

    Last Life joins Oscar contenders

    2003-09-04T04:05:00Z

    Thailand has selected Venice title Last Life In The Universe as its official foreign-language Oscar contender. The film, which is directed by Pen-Et Ratanaruang, is currently represented in the Controcorrente or Upsteam competition section of the Venice festival.It has drawn plaudits for its cool storytelling and visual intelligence and marked ...

  • News

    Benelux distributor falls for Kitano's style

    2003-09-03T04:05:00Z

    Start-up Dutch distributor Bright Angel achieved something of a coup by snatching Benelux rights to hot Venice competition title Zatoichi. The film is possibly director Takeshi Kitano's most commercial and accessible to western audiences for several years. Bright Angel, which only launched in May, also bought Italian title Ora O ...

  • News

    New Benelux distributor falls for Kitano's style

    2003-09-03T04:05:00Z

    Start-up Dutch distributor Bright Angel achieved something of a coup by snatching Benelux rights to hot Venice competition title Zatoichi. The film is possibly director Takeshi Kitano's most commercial and accessible to western audiences for several years. Bright Angel, which only launched in May, also bought Italian title Ora O ...

  • News

    Italy's Lady Pictures picks up Matrubhoomi

    2003-09-03T00:00:00Z

    Indian film Matrubhoomi - A Nation Without Women has been picked up for distribution in Italy by independent player Lady Films. In Scandinavia it has been acquired by local major Svensk Filmindustri. Sales are handled by France's Mercure International and Films Distribution, which reports discussions for other European territories and ...

  • News

    Berlin festival sets first titles for 2004

    2003-09-03T00:00:00Z

    Mexican docu-fiction Digna Oaxa is the first film to have been selected for inclusion in next year's Berlin festival (5-15 February 2004). Festival director Dieter Kosslick said that he will include the film in the official line-up, though precise placement remains currently undetermined. Kosslick said that he has also already ...

  • News

    The Return and Zatoichi light-up Venice

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    Two films in the Venice competition have been logging strong buyer interest and notching sales even before their world premieres later this week. Russian first film The Return by directed by Andrey Zvyagantsev, has added deals with France's Ocean Films and The Netherlands' Contact Films to previous licence agreeements signed ...

  • News

    EU calls for co-ordination not cash

    2003-09-02T04:05:00Z

    Better co-ordination of the public money available to European film, rather than a need for more cash, was one of the main conclusions to emerge from a four-day meeting that concluded in Venice this weekend.The other major policy proposal was for Europe's television broadcasters to make air-time available for promotion ...

  • News

    ICA takes The Five Obstructions

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Trust Film Sales, the Danish sales operation behind The Five Obstructions (De Fem Benspaend), directed by Lars von Trier and Joergen Leth, has sold the docu-fiction title to ICA Projects for the UK.Obstructions charts five attempts by von Trier and his mentor Leth to remake satire The Perfect Human that ...

  • News

    Kitano edges into lead at quality festival

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Six days in and there has been no buying frenzy this year at the Venice festival. But both buyers and critics appearsatisfied with the quality and range of films on offer across the festival's different sections. After the disappointing reception for Woody Allen's opening night film Anything Else, the best ...

  • News

    Kitano edges into lead at quality Venice

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Six days in and there has been no buying frenzy this year at the Venice festival. But both buyers and critics appear satisfied with the quality and range of films on offer across the festival's different sections. After the disappointing reception for Woody Allen's opening night film Anything Else, the ...

  • News

    Samurai drama has the edge at Venice festival

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Six days in and there has been no buying frenzy this year at the Venice festival. But both buyers and critics appear satisfied with the quality and range of films on offer across the festival's different sections. After the disappointing reception for Woody Allen's opening night film Anything Else, the ...

  • News

    Artificial Eye adds to Venice tally

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    The UK's Artificial Eye has added to its stock of Venice titles by adding Last Life In The Universe, which appears in Venice's Controcorrente or Upstream section.The film, directed by Thai Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, played early in the festival and has remained a favourite with critics throughout. It is sold by ...

  • News

    Artificial Eye adds to Venice tally

    2003-09-02T00:00:00Z

    The UK's Artificial Eye has added to its stock of Venice titles by adding Last Life In The Universe, which appears in Venice's Controcorrente or Upstream section.The film, directed by Thai Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, played early in the festival and has remained a favourite with critics throughout. It is sold by ...

  • News

    Venice competition films fuel buyer action

    2003-09-01T04:05:00Z

    Two films in the Venice competition have been logging strong buyer interest and notching up sales even before their world premieres later this week. Russian first film The Return, directed by Andrey Zvyagantsev, has added deals with France's Ocean Films and The Netherlands' Contact Films to previous licence agreements signed ...

  • News

    Competition films fuel buyer action

    2003-09-01T04:05:00Z

    Two films in the Venice competition have been logging strong buyer interest and notching up sales even before their world premieres later this week. Russian first film The Return, directed by Andrey Zvyagantsev, has added deals with France's Ocean Films and The Netherlands' Contact Films to previous licence agreements signed ...

  • News

    The Return, Zatoichi score Venice sales on eve of premieres

    2003-08-31T20:00:00Z

    Two films in the Venice competitionhave been logging strong buyer interest and notching sales evenbefore their world premieres later this week. Russian first film The Returnby directed by Andrey Zvyagantsev, has added deals with France'sOcean Films and The Netherlands' Contact Films to previous licenceagreeements signed with Switzerland's Frenetic ...

  • News

    Gaumont lines up Reno for big-budget Empire

    2003-08-29T04:00:00Z

    France's Jean Reno is to star in The Empire Of The Wolves (L'Empire Des Loups), a big budget crime thriller in the vein of Crimson Rivers that should be one of the standout French pictures of next year. The story, which focuses on issues of identity and lost memories, involves ...

  • News

    Stars come out to play at Venice

    2003-08-29T00:00:00Z

    Johnny Depp yesterday did what so many visiting stars at the Venice festival simply don't do - he worked the crowds.Getting maximum value from Venice's short catwalk, he signed autographs, waved and accepted kisses from adoring female fans. He was in town for Once Upon A time In Mexico, Robert ...