Small MPU – Page 457
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Fragil deal for new Spanish distributor
On Pictures, the new distributor-producer launched bySpanish media conglom the Zeta Group, has picked up distribution rights inSpain to director Juanma Bajo Ulloa's Fragil.The film marks the return of Bajo Ulloa, whose award-winningdebuts Butterfly Wings and TheDead Mother were followed by commercial boxoffice hit Airbag (1997).Screening this week in both ...
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Pokemon grabs pole position at UK box office
Pokemon: The First Movie jumped into the UK box office chart at number one with an opening three day gross of $3.5m (£2.2m). Playing at 481 sites, this gave the Japanese animation a considerable site average of $7,257 (£4,574) and the film wiped the floor with fellow opening animation The ...
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UIP promotes Spielberg's War around the world
Few films come with as big names or expectations as nextsummer's The War Of The Worlds.Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise and based on H.G. Wellsscience fiction classic, which already spawned a popular cult film version in1953, getting early teaser images and trailers right for the 2005 version wasvital.American ...
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UIP promotes Spielberg's War around the world
Few films come with as big names or expectations as nextsummer's The War Of The Worlds.Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise and basedon H.G. Wells' science fiction classic, getting early teaser images and trailersright was vital.American audiences had a chance to judge the result intheatres on Friday (Dec 10), ...
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German, Spanish pictures dominate European Film Awards
Spanish and German pictureswere the big winners at this weekend's European Film Awards in Barcelona,although Spain's national hero Pedro Almodovar walked away empty handed.Hong Kong's Wong Kar-wai wason hand to receive the award for best non-European film with hissci-fi-retro-romance 2046 and in the process become the first two-timewinner of the ...
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Closer opens third in Italy for SPRI in first international bow
In its firstinternational release, the Sony drama Closer opened well in Italy through SonyPictures Releasing International (SPRI) on $1.3m for an unconfirmed thirdplace. The picture is expected to build going into the holidays.Revolution/Sony'scomedy Christmas With The Kranks raised its international running total through SPRI by anestimated $3.3m on 1,817 screens ...
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Jackpot for Ocean's Twelve, so-so opening for Blade sequel
Warner Bros' Ocean'sTwelve swaggered to thetop of the charts at the weekend with an estimated $40.9m opening that pulledoff the fourth biggest December debut of all time.The$110m crime caper follows on from the 2001 picture Ocean's Eleven by Steven Soderbergh and reunites George Clooney,Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts, ...
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AFI names top ten pictures of the year
The AmericanFilm Institute (AFI) announced its top pictures of the year yesterday (12) inwhat the group called the only form of national recognition that honours a project'sentire cast and crew.The 10 picturesin alphabetical order are: The Aviator, Collateral, Eternal Sunshine Of TheSpotless Mind, Friday Night Lights, The Incredibles, Kinsey, Maria ...
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Ocean's Twelve steals the top spot with $40.9m opening
Warner Bros' Ocean'sTwelve swaggered to thetop of the charts at the weekend with an estimated $40.9m opening that pulledoff the fourth biggest December debut of all time.The$110m crime caper follows on from the 2001 picture Ocean's Eleven by Steven Soderbergh and reunites George Clooney,Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts, ...
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Bridget continues to prosper, with $8m French opening
Universal/WorkingTitle's Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason added an estimated $13.5m through UIP at the weekend andgrossed roughly $8m in France through Mars, raising the international runningtotal to $139.7m.The romanticcomedy sequel scored Working Title's biggest ever and Universal's fourthbiggest ever opening day in South Korea (9), opening top on $2m ...
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Amritraj & Hoberman unveil Hyde Park's debut slate
Ashok Amritraj and David Hoberman's Hyde Park Entertainment has unveiled its debut slate of pictures set up at its two alternate partner studios MGM and The Walt Disney Co, with one film placed with Sony Pictures' mid-budget range division Screen Gems. Among the stars already set for the pictures are ...
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Ocean's Twelve makes a killing in five international openings
Ocean's Twelve grossed an estimated $4.5m in its firstinternational outing in five territories on 563 screens through Warner BrosPictures International at the weekendThe highlightwas Australia, where the crime caper opened top on an excellent $3.5m and 46%market share.It grossed$388,000 on 79 in Thailand, $220,700 on 24 in India, and $132,000 ...
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Scott Neeson to leave Sony after a year
Scott Neeson will leave Sony Pictures Releasing International assenior executive vice president of marketing to pursue other opportunitiesincluding his commitment to a Cambodian charity, company chiefs said yesterday(12).The personable and well-liked Neeson worked on overseas marketingstrategies for the launch of such Sony/Revolution hits as Spider-Man 2, 50First Dates, Hellboy, Bad ...
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Immerman joins Yari Film Group to oversee business and legal affairs
Veteran entertainmentproducer, executive, and attorney Bill Immerman has joined the Yari Film Groupas senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer overseeinglegal and business affairs.Immerman will also serve onthe company's executive committee charged with setting key company policies andstrategies.Immerman began his career asdeputy district attorney for Los Angeles County, and ...
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Milestone to distribute 1994 Ophuls doc in North America
Milestone Film and Video hasacquired all North American rights to Marcel Ophuls' 1994 documentary TheTroubles We've Seen: A History Of Journalism In Wartime (Veillees d'Armes)Milestone co-founders DennisDoros and Amy Heller said they planned to release the film theatrically in40-50 cities with DVD to follow, and are in talks with the ...
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Japan's Fukuda to make US film-making debut
Veteran Japanese commercialsdirector and cinematographer Ted Fukuda will make his American featurefilmmaking debut with Dog Lovers' Symphony, based on his own original screenplay.The $2.5m contemporary lovestory explores altruism, redemption and the relationship between wealth andhappiness and centres on a troubled young man who finds self-worth in trainingcanines into service dogs.The ...
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Sideways dominates Los Angeles Film Critics Association awards
Sideways stamped its name over the early awardsseason race when it was named Best Picture of the Year by the Los Angeles FilmCritics Association (LAFCA) on Saturday, with Million Dollar Baby coming in as runner-up.Sideways tookfive honours in total, including best director for Alexander Payne, bestscreenplay for Payne and Jim ...
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Ocean's Twelve hits the jackpot for Warner Bros
Warner Bros' Ocean'sTwelve swaggered to thetop of the charts at the weekend with an estimated $40.9m opening that pulledoff the fourth biggest December debut of all time.The$110m crime caper follows on from the 2001 picture Ocean's Eleven by Steven Soderbergh and reunites George Clooney,Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts, ...
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Marrakech names Sideways as best film
The fourth annual MarrakechFilm Festival drew to a close on Sunday with Alexander Payne's Sidewayswinning the top prize.The jury prize went to China'sMenying Tong Nian by Xiao Jiang and Senegal's Moolaade by OusmaneSembene in a tie.The jurywas presided over by British director Alan Parker and included RosannaArquette, Guillaume Canet and ...
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Gay comedy scoops Indonesia's Citra awards
Arisan, controversial for featuring Indonesia's firston-screen gay kiss, swept several major Citra awards including best picture atthe Indonesian Film Festival. This year, the Indonesian equivalent to theOscars was held for the first time since 1992.Arisan's Tora Sudiro was named best actor for his role as agay man coming out of ...