All articles by Sandy George – Page 32
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Ten Canoes and Jindabyne shine at critics awards
It was always going to be a film that pleased the critics and Ten Canoes did just that, winning best film at the Film Critics Circle of Australia awards. Rolf de Heer's film, which brings to life the story an Aboriginal hunter tells his younger companion while on an expedition, ...
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Kenny takes top film prize at IF Awards
The hit comedy Kenny tonight took home four Inside Film Awards, includingbest film and best script, while Ten Canoes and Suburban Mayhem took home three each. Ten Canoes, the first Australian feature to be made entirely inthe indigenous language, earned Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr best director,and Crusoe Kurddal ...
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RGM starts shoots for first two productions
The Girl In The Park, written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winningauthor David Auburn, and Pushing UpDaisies, a black comedy written and directed by Chaz Thorne, both went intoproduction this week and are the first two films to carry the name RGM, one ofAustralia's most prominent agencies.RGM director Robyn Gardinerand ...
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Lightning takes international sales rights for Kenny
Lightning Entertainment has secured international sales rights for the local hit comedy Kenny, which has earned A$7 million and is still in Australian cinemas after 13 weeks.The documentary-style film, distributed by Madman, is about an ordinary man who works for a company that provides toilets for events. It has hit ...
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Australia reviews tax as foreign shoots plummet
The number of big foreign productions shooting in Australia has crashed over the last year.In the 12 months to June 30, production spending from foreign productions was just $17.6m (A$23m), compared with $168m (A$243m) for the previous year - which included shoots for Superman Returns and Charlotte's Web.Earnings for 2005-2006 ...
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Watts and Weaving among Australian Film Institute awards noms
TheAustralian Film Institute (AFI) has announced the nominees for itsinternational awards categories.Theyinclude Naomi Watts for her performance as a damsel in distress in King Kong, Hugo Weaving for bringing to life the protagonist in V for Vendetta, despite his mask, and Roger Donaldson for the quality of The World'sFastest Indian.Mostof ...
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Ten Canoes, Jindabyne shine at Oz critics awards
It was always going to be afilm that pleased the critics and TenCanoes did just that on the weekend, winning best film at the Film CriticsCircle of Australia awards, held in Melbourne. But the most awards went tothe drama Jindabyne, which won bestdirector for Ray Lawrence, supporting actor for Deborra-Lee ...
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Becker on board for animated Mary & Max
Becker International hassigned on to handle worldwide sales on the planned animated feature Mary & Max from Oscar winner AdamElliot.The writer/director won anAcademy Award in 2004 for his short film HarvieKrumpet. His new project is backed by Becker alongside Australiandistributor and sister company, Dendy Films.Becker head Iain Canningwill be talking ...
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Suburban Mayhem leads Australian nominations
Suburban Mayhem led the Australian Film Institute Award nominations with nods in 12categories, but was passed over for a best film nomination. The film about an audaciousteenager had its world premiere in Un Certain Regard in Cannes in May, closed the Melbourne International FilmFestival, and finally opens to the Australian ...
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Look Both Ways actor to direct Ten Empty
It has been on the verge ofgoing ahead several times but now cameras are definitely going to roll on Ten Empty, the feature film directorialdebut of actor Anthony Hayes, who played the estranged father of two childrenin Look Both Ways. The film got the go-aheadfrom the Australian Film Commission's IndiVision ...
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Dendy has Consideration for Aus/NZ
Dendy Films has securedAustralian and New Zealand rights to the comedy For Your Consideration from sales agent Fortissimo Films. Dendy joint general managersRichard Payten and Andrew Mackie, who describe themselves as longtime fans ofdirector Christopher Guest and his regular ensemble of collaborators, plan torelease the film early next year.Guest again ...
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Australia's award season kicks off
Australia's award season kicked off this week withnominations announced for both the Inside Film Awards and the Film CriticsCircle of Australia Awards. The people's choice IF Awards revealedtheir nominations on Oct 4. The three films up for best film are: Kenny, a low-budget, privately financeddocumentary-style drama made by debut director ...
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Icon and Lionsgate projects backed in latest FFC round
A vampire filmbacked by Lionsgate, a drama marking Icon's biggest commitment to an Australianfilm, and the first co-production with China are among five Australian films that havesecured financing in the latest round from Film Finance Corporation Australia.Twinwriter-directors Michael and Peter Spierig, who sold their low-budgetself-financed horror film Undead toLionsgate, have ...
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Meek to replace Ikin at Film Finance Corp
Producer Scott Meek, whorelocated from the UK to Australia in 2004 to join ABC TV, is to replace Bridget Ikinat Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC). Ikin and Tait Brady were thefirst people employed to choose which films seeking FFC finance through theevaluation door should get the go-ahead. Both of them ...
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Revolver takes UK rights to Wright's contemporary Macbeth
Revolver Entertainment has taken UK rights toGeoffrey Wright's new adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, set in contemporary Melbourne.The deal was signed with sales company Arclight after Macbeth's recent world premiere in theVanguard section at the Toronto International Film Festival. It comes on theeve of its 30-screen release in Australian cinemas tomorrow ...
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Australia mulls 40% tax rebate for producers
The Australian government ismulling a 40% tax rebate for producers, as a means to boost local production, aproposal which has secured the backing of the Film Finance CorporationAustralia (FFC).The government is currentlyreviewing its direct and indirect support of the film industry and the FFC madeits submission public this week thereby ...
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King Of The Mountain to go ahead despite Brock's death
The filmmakers behind King Of The Mountain, which was set tobe the acting debut of Australia's best-known racing car driver Peter Brock, who diedin an accident on the track last Friday, have said that the project willcontinue.Executive producer Tom Kennedysaid the $2.3m (A$3m) action drama will be financed by sponsors ...
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Australian Film Commission's script lab chooses eight projects
Director Fred Schepisi will be one of the mentors at SP*RK, theAustralian Film Commission's script lab, and eight projects have been chosen toparticipate.They include An Imaginary Life, an adaptation ofDavid Malouf's novel of the same name being producedby Penny Chapman, a former head of drama at national broadcaster the ABC, ...
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Melbourne audiences praise Thank You For Smoking
Thank You For Smoking, which releasesin Australia this week, wasthe most popular film among Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)audiences.Director Jason Reitman and his long-time producing partner Daniel Dubieckiwere guests of the event with Dubiecki, whose father is Australian, exploringAustralian opportunities while in the country. The top five MIFF films according ...
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Potter holds off Pirates to win Australian award
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire has been presented with the Gold Award for the biggest revenue earner of the last 12 months at the Australian International Movie Convention. But if it had been a week or two later it would have been usurped by Pirates of the Caribbean: ...