Small MPU – Page 706
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News
Charlie Cox leads cast for Scottish feature Stone Of Destiny
Scottish feature Stone Of Destiny started principal photography this week on location in Glasgow and London. Charlie Cox, Billy Boyd, Kate Mara, Robert Carlyle and Brenda Fricker star. Charles Martin Smith wrote and directed the project, based on Ian Hamilton's book, The Taking Of the Stone Of Destiny. The film ...
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Lichtmeer moves into production with Angelopoulos project
Munich-based distributor Lichtmeer Filmverleih has relaunched itself as the Cologne/Berlin production company Lichtmeer Film, which will have Theo Angelopoulos's next feature Dust Of Time as its first project. The co-production with Italy's Classic and Albachiara and the director's own company Angelopoulos Film, will star Harvey Keitel, Bruno Ganz, Willem Dafoe ...
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France's Fete du Cinema ticket sales hold steady at 2.8m
The 23rd Fete du Cinema wrapped Tuesday night in France to tie last year's results with 2.8m tickets sold. The reduced-price ticket scheme, organized by the National Cinema Federation (FNCF), offers free entry to all films over three days after a one-time $2.70 (Euros 2) ticket purchase. Tuesday's figures jumped ...
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European Producers Club elects new board of directors
The European Producers Club (EPC) has announced the election of a new board of directors. In their posts for the next two years are: Jean Cazes (Initial Productions, France), Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre (MACT, France), Patrick Quniet (Artemis Productions, Belgium), Antonio Saura (Zebra Producciones, Spain) and Ruth Waldburger (Vega Film, Switzerland). ...
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James Purnell named UK Culture Secretary in Brown's new cabinet
As new UK prime minister Gordon Brown today unveils his new cabinet, James Purnell has been named Culture Secretary. He replaces Tessa Jowell, who will now be Olympics Secretary. The role means Purnell will now be in charge of areas including film co-production treaties, and he will also have ultimate ...
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Serbia to host first national film festival with two competitions
Film Center Serbia and State of Exit, the company responsible for creating huge European music festival Exit, are organising the first Film Festival of Serbia, to be held July 3-8 in Novi Sad. The organisers wanted to promote national cinema. In former Yugoslavia, the national competition festival was Pula, which ...
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International projects take the lead with new German fund
International co-productions shooting in Germany have received more than half of the $28m (Euros 20.9m) allocated by the new German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) in its first six months of operation. Speaking at a review of the DFFF's first six months at this week's Munich Film Festival, project manager Christine ...
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Editorial opinion: D-cinema is E for effort
The announcement of a major European financing deal for digital cinema put the proverbial cat among the pigeons at this week's Cinema Expo in Amsterdam.To be fair, the virtual print fee (VPF) agreement announced by Arts Alliance Media, Fox and Universal Pictures International didn't need to be the fiercest of ...
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Sundance Directors Lab: a mountain of work
The Sundance Directors Lab, which took place this month at the Sundance resort in the Utah mountains, has opened its doors to a new wave of international film-makers. Mike Goodridge visited the lab and met some of the writer-directors being put through their paces. A fair amount of legend has ...
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Features
Seasons of change
Vin Bhat, the founder of fast-growing New York-based Indian pay-TV service Bodvod, has been celebrating a successful year for Bollywood movies at the North American box office.Hits in 2006 included Kriish - India's first action superhero film - and Dhoom 2, about a malicious gang of Bombay bikers, which grossed ...
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Oz producers, directors claim copyright victory
Australia's parliament has passed the Copyright Digital Agenda Bill prompting both directors and producers to issue media statements claiming they have won the long-running battle over directors' copyright. The Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) claimed victory on the basis that the new legislation was passed without the controversial amendment ...
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Ted Leonsis: the filmanthropist
Ted Leonsis, producer of Nanking, is also the vice-chairman of AOL and a crusader for making a new type of film. Lily Oei reports. Film-makers have long depended on the generosity of outside investors. But by prioritising impact over profit, Ted Leonsis, producer of documentary Nanking, has added a twist ...
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Bela Tarr: inmemory of the man from France
When his producer died early in production, Hungarian film-maker Bela Tarr fought to reconstruct his Cannes Competition title. Theodore Schwinke reports. For Hungarian director Bela Tarr, The Man From London is a memorial to the film's late French producer, Humbert Balsan.Balsan committed suicide in January 2005, two days before the ...
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Ana Katz: the wandering star
The Argentinian winner of San Sebastian's Films in Progress proved a true labour of love. Diego Batlle talks to the film's director. At just 31, Argentinian film-maker Ana Katz is one of the most prolific and versatile artists of her generation. A renowned film, theatre and commercials actor-writer-producer-director, Katz's second ...
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Features
Industry moves
Three join ParticipantFormer ICM chief financial officer Robert Murphy has joined the US's Participant Productions as chief financial officer and executive vice-president. Bonnie Abaunza and Liana Schwarz have joined as vice-presidents of social action, campaign development and operations.Auffret to head AAM's new Paris officeDigital film services company Arts Alliance Media ...
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Kahleen Crawford: cast away
Casting director Kahleen Crawford is frustrated by the lack of confidence in UK actors among some UK producers, she tells Patricia Dobson. If working with Des Hamilton, whose most recent acting discovery was This Is England's much-praised Thomas Turgoose, taught Kahleen Crawford anything, it was to keep an open mind. ...
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Features
United Kingdom - Youth movement
Four years ago, as students at Bournemouth University, Paul Taylor and Teddy Leifer knew they wanted to find a film project to work on together. And what a project it turned out to be: their first documentary, We Are Together (Thina Simunye) is backed by HBO and the Channel 4 ...
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The East European picture
Eastern Europe is well-established as a cheaper alternative to shooting in the US or the UK. But how do international producers choose between the packages on offer' Theodore Schwinke reportsBudapest airport on a Friday night is like the canteen at Pinewood,' says Chris Symes, executive producer of Universal's Hellboy 2: ...
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Czech Republic: 'More expensive than Budapest'
Can the Czech Republic retain its competitive edge when it comes to production' Theodore Schwinke reportsOn paper, the Czech Republic's production service sector is looking healthy. Andrew Adamson is shooting Walden Media's The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian at Barrandov's new 4,000 square metre stage, which also hosted Eli Roth's ...
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Poland: film city targets pole position
Despite a lack of tax incentives, an ambitious new studio and financial support from the Polish Film Institute is making the territory an attractive prospect for international film-makers. Theodore Schwinke reports.The Polish Film Institute recently unveiled plans to build Film City, a 10-stage studio near Warsaw. When completed in 2009, ...