Small MPU – Page 1164

  • News

    Focus closes North American deal on Love

    2003-03-20T00:00:00Z

    Focus Featureshas acquired North American rights to Thomas Vinterberg's It's All AboutLove from Denmark'sNimbus Film. As reported earlier in Screen International negotiations have beenongoing since the film's world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. "Ever sinceThe Celebration,we've been seeking to work with Thomas," commented Focus co-presidentsDavid Linde and James Schamus ...

  • News

    Cannes Marche points to online registration for advanced numbers

    2003-03-21T04:00:00Z

    Registration for theupcoming 44th Marche Du Film (May 14-24) is up 55% compared to the same periodlast year, following the installation of a new online registration service.Set up at the behest ofexecutive director Jerome Paillard, the facility is, claims Paillard, the firstof its kind in the entertainment industry. It appeared ...

  • Reviews

    Willard

    2003-03-21T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Glen Morgan. US. 2003. 100minsEverybody has heard of Cinderella. She befriended the mice that lived in her attic bedroom and made them cute little outfits to wear. In return, they sang and danced and kept her company. Now comes Willard, who pals around with the rats that live in ...

  • Reviews

    Agent Cody Banks

    2003-03-21T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Harald Zwart. US. 2003. 102mins.Teen heartthrob Frankie Muniz becomes a teen 007 in Agent Cody Banks, an energetic but overly cute and calculated junior spy adventure from Bond studio MGM and German-owned independent Splendid Pictures. Interest from teen and pre-teen audiences - in Muniz and in his co-star Hilary ...

  • News

    Triple whammy as Gangs, Ring and 8 Mile pass the $100m mark

    2003-03-21T00:00:00Z

    Three films crossed the much sought after $100m international box office mark this week, led by Oscar contender Gangs Of New York.Martin Scorsese's historical epic tipped over the mark to record a total international cumulative gross of $103.5m. Continued strong runs in Spain and Germany scored the bulk of the ...

  • News

    Blockbuster faces Canadian lawsuit over late fees

    2003-03-24T04:00:00Z

    Dallas-basedvideo rentailer Blockbuster may be facing a class-action suit in Quebec overits late fee policies after a judge granted class status to a group ofBlockbuster customers in the province. Thesuit, which targets the company's late-fee revenues over the past 11years, alleges that Blockbuster's fines are 'abusive' and aviolation of the ...

  • News

    UK government film minister addresses the industry

    2003-03-24T04:05:00Z

    UK film minister Kim Howells has ruled out a levy on cinema tickets to compensate for the decline in lottery revenue, the government's main source of funding for the UK film industry. Speaking at the UK Cinemas Conference in London, Howells said: "Even though cinema admissions are rising we would ...

  • News

    Lolafilms closes sales on Raggy Boy

    2003-03-24T04:05:00Z

    Spanish production, distribution and sales house Lolafilms has closed a string of deals in Latin America, Europe and beyond on Sundance hit Song For A Raggy Boy.From director Aisling Walsh, Raggy Boy stars Aidan Quinn and Iain Glen in the true story of a man's struggle against the violent regime ...

  • News

    Argentina wins big at Fribourg

    2003-03-24T04:05:00Z

    Argentinian cinema was the big winner at this year's Fribourg International Film Festival which closed on Sunday March 23 with the $21,500 (SFR 30,000) Regard D'Or going to Carlos Sorin's Historias Minimas.In addition, the Special Jury Award went to Luis Ortega's feature debut Caja Negra and the General Public Award ...

  • News

    World premiere of If You Were Me to open Korea's Jeonju fest

    2003-03-24T04:05:00Z

    The fourth Jeonju International Film Festival in South Korea will screen the world premiere of If You Were Me, an omnibus collection dealing with human rights and shot by six leading Korean directors, as its opening film. Produced and financed by Korea's Commission on Human Rights, the omnibus collection ...

  • News

    France's Springtime Of Film programme records 2.5m admissions

    2003-03-24T04:05:00Z

    France's exhibition federation, the FNCF, has announced that 2.5 million tickets were sold during its recent Springtime of Film programme. The event, a three-day promotion where admission is slashed to Euros 3 - less than half normal price - in 5,500 cinemas across the country, is four years old. 2003 ...

  • News

    Irreversible passed uncut for UK video, DVD release

    2003-03-24T04:05:00Z

    Following its uncensored release in UK cinemas, Gaspar Noe's controversial Irreversible has been passed uncut for video and DVD release by the British Board of Film Classification. The film has been given an '18' certificate, but it will also contain consumer advice on the strong language, nudity and violent ...

  • News

    Bringing Down The House is top for third weekend

    2003-03-24T00:00:00Z

    With the televised war and a lack of major openers creating the lowest domestic box office in two months, Buena Vista's Bringing Down the House held on to top spot for the third successive weekend, grossing an estimated $16.2m for an $83.4m running total.The comedy has traded strongly on its ...

  • News

    Far From Heaven sweeps Spirits, but war is top topic

    2003-03-24T00:00:00Z

    Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven swept the board at the IFP Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday in Santa Monica, winning all five of its five nominated categories including best feature, best director for Haynes and best actress for Julianne Moore. It was the first ever Spirit win for the film's ...

  • News

    Col TriStar takes another $6.1m with Revolution's Maid

    2003-03-24T00:00:00Z

    Columbia TriStar/Revolution's Maid In Manhattan grossed an estimated $6.1m on 2,850 screens over the weekend, raising its international tally so far to $33.4m.Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (CTFDI) opened the romantic comedy strongly in Thailand, where it went to number one on $205,000 from 34 screens. In another impressive bow ...

  • News

    FULL LIST OF ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS 2002

    2003-03-24T00:00:00Z

    Best picture Chicago (Miramax Films) Martin Richards, producerBest director Roman Polanski The PianistBest actor Adrien Brody The PianistBest actress Nicole Kidman The HoursBest supporting actor Chris Cooper AdaptationBest supporting actress Catherine Zeta-Jones ChicagoBest original screenplay Pedro Almodovar Talk To HerBest adapted screenplay Ronald Harwood The PianistBest foreign language film Nowhere ...

  • News

    Chicago's best picture, but The Pianist wins director, actor

    2003-03-24T00:00:00Z

    Chicago was named best picture at the Academy Awards ceremony last night in Hollywood but Roman Polanski's The Pianist almost pipped it to the post, winning in best director, actor and adapted screenplay categories. It was a surprising turn of events, with the holocaust drama upsetting a long-anticipated sweep for ...

  • Reviews

    The Bottom Of The Sea (El Fondo Del Mar)

    2003-03-24T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Damian Szifron. Argentina. 2003. 90 mins.The new independent company Aeroplano looks like it has a winner on its hands with the drama comedy The Bottom Of The Sea. This lively but mature piece combines a very individualistic vision with a firm grasp of entertainment value that will make it ...

  • News

    Western productions head to the east

    2003-03-25T04:05:00Z

    With fully-booked studios in Prague, Cold Mountain in Romania, and Hungary and Russia making steps to woo foreign investment, Eastern Europe is becoming an increasingly desirable location.Foreign filmmaking in Prague is going strong, despite fears of a post-boom hangover following the heady days of 2001, when three US studio shoots ...

  • News

    Global ticket prices keeping ahead of inflation

    2003-03-25T04:05:00Z

    Ticket prices are rising faster than inflation in most of the major cinema markets around the world - with the notable exception of Japan.Japan still has the most expensive tickets in the world, with an average price of Euros 9.48 ($10.47). However, prices have been either stagnant or falling for ...