Small MPU – Page 555

  • News

    Singapore censors lift ban on gay-themed Lan Yu

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Singapore's film censors have lifted the ban on Stanley Kwan's2001 gay-themed drama Lan Yu, which local distributor Festive Filmsplans to release one week after Kwan's latest film, Everlasting Regret,on October 13. Gay-themed films havetraditionally been banned outright in Singapore. However, Lan Yu has now been rated R21, thanksto the revised ...

  • News

    Weinsteins raise $230m in backing for new venture

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Harvey and Bob Weinsteinhave raised $230.5m in equity for their new venture the Weinstein Co, accordingto a report on financial wire service Bloomberg.Bloomberg reported that the Weinstein Co. sold shares to 18investors, according to a regulatory filing this week. The Weinsteins are innegotiations with other investors that may increase the ...

  • News

    Nordisk swallows Per Holst as part of overhaul

    2000-05-24T15:20:00Z

    Danish production outfits Per Holst Film and Victoria Film are being folded into parent company Nordisk Film & TV in an attempt to streamline production operations at the Scandinavian major. The two companies, which merged prior to being acquired by Nordisk in 1991, have operated as stand-alone units since the ...

  • News

    Yoji Yamada to complete samurai trilogy

    2005-10-06T20:30:00Z

    Shochiku has announced that Yoji Yamada will complete the trilogy of samurai dramas he beganwith The Twilight Samurai - nominated for best foreign-language film atthe Oscars in 2004 - and The Hidden Blade.Tentatively titled BushiNo Ichibun (A Warrior's Duty), the final instalment in the trilogyis based on a story by ...

  • News

    Italian film industry to strike in protest at funding cuts

    2005-10-07T04:00:00Z

    All cinemas in Italy will be closed on Friday October 14as part of a strike by the national film industry to protest against massivenew cuts to government funding.In its 2006budget proposal, the Silvio Berlusconi government has set out a paltry Euros 50mto support film - compared to Euros 84m last ...

  • News

    Arts Alliance acquires Danish DVD rental outfit

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Arts Alliance Media, the owner of the UK's DVD rentalcompany LOVEFiLM, and lScandinavian operator Boxman AB of Sweden, has furtherincreased its European network with the acquisition of Digitarian A/S,Denmark's largest online DVD rental company.Theacquisition was made through Boxman and means the group will now serve over20,000 customers in Scandinavia."Boxman choseDigitarian ...

  • News

    Nexo takes Italian rights to Sorry, Haters

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Italiandistributor Nexo has picked up local distribution rights to Jeff Stanzler's Sorry,Haters, marking the first international deal for the film.Produced byInDigEnt, Sorry, Haters is a psychological thriller set in New Yorkwhich stars Robin Wright Penn. The picture,produced by Stanzler, Jake Abraham, Karen Jaroneski and Gary Winick, had itsworld premiere at ...

  • News

    Woods steps down as Sheffield Documentary fest director

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Brent Woods is stepping down as director of the SheffieldInternational Documentary Festival (Oct 10-16) after four years in the role andten years in total at the festival.Woodswill be leaving in January 2006 and the Sheffield International Documentary FestivalBoard will begin recruiting a new Director in due course.Woods commented, "I feel ...

  • News

    India's PVR unveils expansion plans

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Indian multiplex cinema operator PVR is looking to raiseUS$ 33 million via an IPO to finance new cinema projects and expand its filmdistribution business. The company plans to expand its footprint to Mumbai,Chennai, Ludhiana, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Gurgaon, Lucknow, and Latur,besides Delhi. PVR, a pioneer of multiplex development in India, ...

  • Reviews

    Two For The Money

    2005-10-06T00:00:00Z

    Dir: DJ Caruso. US. 2005.120minsSavvy gamblers shouldn't bet the house on the new high-stakes drama TwoFor The Money in which Al Pacino plays devilish mentor to MatthewMcConaughey (not too dissimilar to his role with Keanu Reeves in Devil'sAdvocate). A cross between Any Given Sunday (which also starredPacino) and Wall Street's ...

  • Reviews

    Two For The Money

    2005-10-07T00:04:00Z

    Dir: DJ Caruso. US. 2005.120minsSavvy gamblers shouldn't bet the house on the new high-stakes drama TwoFor The Money in which Al Pacino plays devilish mentor to MatthewMcConaughey (not too dissimilar to his role with Keanu Reeves in Devil'sAdvocate). A cross between Any Given Sunday (which also starredPacino) and Wall Street's ...

  • News

    Estrada, Indian get galas at AFI FEST

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    The US premieresof Tommy Lee Jones' redemption saga The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada and Roger Donaldson's The World'sFastest Indian will beAFI FEST 2005's centerpiece galas on Nov 7 and 8.Specialscreenings include Stephen Frears' period drama Mrs Henderson Presents, Michael Winterbottom's comedy TristramShandy: A Cock And Bull Story, Neil Jordan's ...

  • News

    Terrence Howard named Rising Star at Palm Springs

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    Terrence Howardwill collect the Rising Star Award at the 17th Annual Palm SpringsInternational Film Festival's awards gala on Jan 7, 2006. Howard wonacclaim for his role as a Memphis street hustler who aspires to becoming a rapstar in Craig Brewer's Hustle & Flow, which also stars Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning,Ludacris, ...

  • News

    Satellite Theatre scores major coup with Shiri buy

    2000-05-24T15:25:00Z

    Shochiku-owned movie channel Satellite Theatre has made its first major acquisition, purchasing all broadcasting rights to hit South Korean actioner Shiri, which has grossed $15m (Y1.6bn) at the Japanese box office. Channels such as Satellite Theatre which broadcast on communications satellites usually rely on their parent companies, including majors such ...

  • News

    Wilson, Margulies, Trachtenberg go to Beautiful Ohio

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    Rita Wilson,Julianna Margulies and Michelle Trachtenberg have joined the cast of accomplicefilms' Beautiful Ohio,the directorial debut of company partner Chad Lowe that began filming in NewYork this week. The story, whichas previously announced stars William Hurt, is based on Ethan Canin'sadaptation of his short story Batorsag & Szerelem and chronicles ...

  • News

    Habana Blues to kick off LA Latin film festival

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    The 9th AnnualLos Angeles Latino International Film Festival will open on Oct 21 with BenitoZambrano's Spanish drama Habana Blues. The picture, which played inUn Certain Regard at Cannes this year, charts the fortunes of two Cubanmusicians given the chance to leave their country in exchange for a recordingcontract. The programmeincludes ...

  • News

    Sloan science prize at Hamptons goes to Cardia

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    Su Rynard's Canadian drama Kardia will receive the $25,000 Alfred P Sloan Foundationcash prize at the upcoming Hamptons International Film Festival.The storycentres on a pathologist who discovers she is linked to another personfollowing an experimental heart operation she underwent as a child.The Sloan awardis handed out to work that explores ...

  • News

    Roth, Littman to run business and legal affairs at Weinstein Co

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    Miramaxexecutives Eric Roth and Barry Littman have joined The Weinstein Company asexecutive vice presidents and co-heads of business and legal affairs. Both executiveswill based in the company's Los Angeles office and report directly to Bob andHarvey Weinstein. Roth and Littmanwill oversee the company's business and legal affairs division and negotiatedeals ...

  • News

    Pennebaker, Hegedus to get career award from IDA

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    DA Pennebaker and ChrisHegedus will receive the International Documentary Association (IDA) 2005Career Achievement Award at the 21st Annual IDA Distinguished DocumentaryAchievement Awards Benefit Gala on Dec 9 in Hollywood.The duo has collaborated onsuch award winning titles as The War Room, for which they jointly received an Oscar nomination in 1994, ...

  • News

    City, Aspirins win top Rio prizes

    2005-10-07T00:00:00Z

    Sergio Machado's CidadeBaixa (Lower City) won the best fiction feature prize at the RioIntrernational Film Festival and Marcelo Gomes' Cinema, Aspirinas E Urubus (Cinema, Aspirins And Vultures) took home the festival's second, the special jury prizeat the festival's closing ceremony tonight (Thursday). The awards were handed outthe Odeon BR theatre, ...