Small MPU – Page 397

  • News

    iDream finds buyers for Dalai Lama documentary at AFM

    2006-11-21T00:00:00Z

    New London-based sales companyiDream Independent Pictures has wrapped up its first deals after the recentAmerican Film Market. The company had a lineup of fourprojects at the AFM: Kaushikagupta Ray's five-part Dalai Lama documentaryseries On Life AndEnlightenment, Antara Bharadwaj's thriller Telling Lies, ManishGupta's drama Karma Confessions And Holiand Pankaj Advani's surreal ...

  • News

    Director Robert Altman dies at age 81

    2006-11-21T16:59:00Z

    Famed director Robert Altmanhas died age 81.His New York-based Sandcastle5 Productions told the Associated Press that Altman died Monday night but didn'tdisclose the cause of death.A multiple best directorOscar nominee, Altman received an honorary Academy Award earlier in 2006 forhis body of work, which includes MASH, Nashville, The Player, Gosford ...

  • News

    Sergio Renan finishing Argentina shoot for new feature

    2006-11-21T17:06:00Z

    Veteran Argentinianfilmmaker Sergio Renan is finishing Three of Hearts (Tresde Corazones), his first feature in five years.The 73-year-old, award-winningdirector and actor is in the last week of shooting of the $840,000 productionstarring local stars Monica Ayos, Fabian Vena and Luis Luque.Based on renowned writerJuan Jose Saer's short story ElTaximetrista, the ...

  • News

    Colf named vp, general manager of WB digital services division

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    Vicky Colf has been named vice president and general manager ofWarner Bros Advanced Digital Services and Technology Systems.Colf will oversee day-to-day operations in support of the studio'sefforts to distribute content through new media outlets, and also takes chargeon implementing the studio's goal of digitising all aspects of the productionand distribution ...

  • News

    MGM picks up worldwide rights to Two Weeks

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    MGM has picked up worldwide rights to the bittersweet comedy TwoWeeks starring SallyField, Ben Chaplin, and Tom Cavanagh.MGM has set a Dec 1 domestic release for Steve Stockman's featuredirectorial debut about four siblings who rush home for what they think is afinal goodbye to their dying mother.When the matriarch refuses ...

  • News

    Rasmusssen team launch northern Canada distribution initiative

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    The Canadian production teambehind Atanarjuat: The Fast Runnerand The Journals Of Knud Rasmussenhave launched a feature film distribution initiative to service 200 remoteaboriginal communities across northern Canada.Backed by a broad coalitionof private and public sector enterprises, including Telefilm Canada andAlliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution (MPD) as well as several northernairlines, ...

  • News

    HBO re-enters Argentinian cable market

    2000-07-12T11:46:00Z

    HBO Latin America Group has agreed to restore its movie channels HBO and Cinemax to leading Argentinian cable operators Multicanal and Cablevision after boycotting Argentina's cable industry for the past 18 months.HBO and Cinemax pulled out of the Argentine market in January 1999 in protest against the lack of encrypted ...

  • News

    Jiffest to launch competition for Indonesian films

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    The 8th JakartaInternational Film Festival (Jiffest), Indonesia's only international film festival, will puttogether a new competitive showcase dedicated to local cinema for the firsttime this year. To promote Indonesiancinema, the inaugural Indonesian feature film competition will have 28 localfilms, released from last December, competing for best film and best directorwith ...

  • News

    Marceau and Stuhr to host EFA ceremony

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    The European Film Academy has announced that French actor/director SophieMarceau and Polish artist/actor Maciej Stuhr will host the 19th European FilmAwards. Marceau starred in 1980's La Boum and has directed films includingParlez-Moi D'Amour and the forthcomingTrivial. Stuhr created the cabaretgroup Pozarcie and has appeared in films including Pogoda Na Jutro ...

  • Reviews

    The Nativity Story

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Catherine Hardwicke. US. 2006. 102mins.One of the most bizarre matches of talent andmaterial this year - the story of the nativity from the director of Thirteen and The Lords Of Dogtown and the writer of The Rookie - delivers a satisfying andentirely inoffensive slice of Biblical drama which could ...

  • News

    Intandem picks up four new genre films

    2006-11-22T12:17:00Z

    UK-based producer and salescompany Intandem Films has acquired world rights to four new features thanks toa $7.2m loan note through US-based private investment bank Capitoline GlobalFinance. Intandem now has worldwiderights to True True Lie, Supergatorand Incubus and world rightsexcluding Benelux, Brazil, CIS, France, Greece, India, Mexico, Spain and the UKto ...

  • News

    Directors Guild starts new UK training initiative

    2006-11-22T12:26:00Z

    The UK-based Directors GuildTrust has launched a new training programme, Direct Access, which has thebacking of established names including John Madden, Richard Eyre and DavidYates. The programme, inpartnership with Film4 and Skillset's A Bigger Future with the UK Film Council,will let new film-makers observe an established director on a project ...

  • News

    High Point books deals for Dutch Slaughter Night

    2006-11-22T12:40:00Z

    After AFM, High Point Filmshas closed more deals on its Dutch horror project Slaughter Night. Tartan Films took all rightsfor North America, in a deal led by Tartan's head of acquisitions JaneGiles. Also, Legend Films boughtfor Germany, Daylight Films for Brazil, DAI Films for Thailand and RAMEntertainment for Singapore and ...

  • News

    Hitler farce among new projects backed by Germany

    2006-11-22T12:50:00Z

    Swiss theatre and film director Urs Odermatt'sadaptation of George Tabori's stage farce MeinKampf about the creation of the 'monster Hitler', is among 12film projects and five screenplays backed with a total of $1.86m (Euros 1.45m)by Germany's State Minister for Culture Bernd Neumann.Odermatt's film will beproduced by the Berlin-based production outfit ...

  • News

    Brazil to discuss creating film commission

    2006-11-22T13:00:00Z

    The 39th BrasiliaFilm Festival which opened yesterday and runs through Nov 28,will host a seminar about film locations in Brazil. The seminar will be an open forum for discussionsthat revolve the future of the regional film commissions and the possible creationof a Brazilian Film Commission to foster local film production.At ...

  • News

    European Commission approves new UK tax regime

    2006-11-22T14:55:00Z

    The European Commission has approved the UK's new tax credit but has revised the cultural test that decides which films qualify for support.The breaking of the deadlock that had delayed the incentive has been widely welcomed. The new tax credit - available to films spending 25% of their budget in ...

  • News

    Lewis Kim joins growing Korean upstart Barunson

    2006-11-22T15:24:00Z

    LewisKim, formerly head of international at TheHost production company Chungeorahm Film, has moved to upstartproducer/investor Barunson. Kim will report directly to Chief Executive OfficerJae-won Choi.Creditedon Bong Joon-ho's hit The Host as overseasline producer, Kim handled international business for the film - includingoverseas casting and coordinating with California-based CGI house The ...

  • News

    Itochu launches internet distribution venture

    2000-07-12T11:48:00Z

    Japan's Itochu trading house is setting up a joint venture with as-yet-unnamed partners to distribute films via the internet starting early next year.Called eMovie (Japan), the new company is capitalised at $280,000 (Y30m) and Itochu projects annual sales of $47m (Y5bn) by 2003. The company will acquire digital versions of ...

  • News

    EFP's Shooting Stars to appear at Tallinn Black Nights

    2006-11-22T00:00:00Z

    The European Film Promotion'sShooting Stars initiative will travel to Estonia for the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. Eight actors from Europeancountries will travel to the festival and introduce their latest films, in aneffort to increase awareness across European countries.The eight travelling toTallinn are: Gabriella Hamori from Hungary with Stop Mom ...

  • News

    Apple comes on with Hob for Lukasiak feature

    2006-11-22T15:40:00Z

    Leading Polish productionhouse Apple Film has come onboard Polish-born filmmaker Agnieszka Lukasiak'sfeature debut Between TheFires which will be one of the first features to be handled by Swedishproducer Peter Kropenin's new production outfit Hob AB.Speaking to ScreenDaily.com at this week's MannheimMeetings where he was pitching Between The Fires to potential ...