Small MPU – Page 740

  • Reviews

    The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift

    2006-06-14T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Justin Lin. US. 2006. 104mins.An efficient butpummeling ride, the latest entry in TheFast And TheFurious franchise is an entertaining vehicle that doesn't have quite enoughin the tank in terms of plotting or characters. Nevertheless, it proves a solidshowcase for its up-and-coming director Justin Lin and star Lucas Black.Lessa continuation ...

  • News

    The Works takes UK rights to Shortbus

    2006-06-14T11:14:00Z

    TheWorks UK Distribution has licensed John Cameron Mitchell's Shortbus from sales companyFortissimo Films.Thefilm, Mitchell's follow-up to Hedwig And The Angry Inch, is an explicit story of relationships in"New York City's polysexualbohemian scene." It played in official selection in Cannes. Thecast includes Sook-Yin Lee, Paul Dawson, Lindsay Beamish, PJ DeBoy, Raphael ...

  • News

    Locarno taps jury for Filmmakers of the Present

    2006-06-14T11:42:00Z

    LocarnoInternational Film Festival's new artistic director Frederic Maire has announced the names of the five jurors for theFilmmakers of the Present sidebar, which will be competitive for the firsttime.In addition tothe previously announced Argentine producer Hernan Musaluppi (The MagicGloves), the jury will include French-Iranian director RafiPitts, who was in Locarno's ...

  • News

    Production report: Greek comedy wins local hearts

    2000-06-22T15:44:00Z

    Greek films have been performing strongly at the local box office this year, pulling in more than 2.5 million admissions - a five-fold increase over last year - and are poised to reach three million during the summer season, when open-air cinemas rerun recent films plus a few new releases. ...

  • News

    Australia sets box-office record in first five months of 2006

    2006-06-14T11:59:00Z

    Australian cinemas have recorded their biggest ever result for the firstfive months of a year, taking $275m (A$373m) in ticket sales through May 31.The result represents $35.8m (A$48.4m) or 15% more than sales during thesame period last year and about $7.7m (A$10.4m) more than in 2004, which gavethe industry its ...

  • News

    Hauer plans directorial debut Changing Fortunes

    2006-06-14T14:23:00Z

    Dutch star Rutger Hauer is to make hisdirectorial debut feature with ChangingFortunes, a drama set in occupied Holland during World War II.The $11.3 million projectis being put together as a UK/Dutch/Belgian co-production by Glasgow-based AlbaFilm Productions.Hauer is also in line to play a part in the film, based onthe true ...

  • News

    International Indian Film Academy weekend opens in Dubai

    2006-06-14T00:00:00Z

    The seventhInternational Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend has opened in Dubai. The weekend opensat Dubai's Grand Cineplex with Jagmohan Mundra's Provoked,starring Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson and NanditaDas.On Thursday, organizers will kick off the new IIFA Film Festival with Chandramukhi. Thefestival will also screen 30 other films. Indian actorsappearing ...

  • News

    Three arrests made in Wales over film piracy

    2006-06-14T14:51:00Z

    South Wales Police have arrestedthree people in raids targeting film piracy. Operation CARDwas carried out by the police working with Trading Standards, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT),the British Phonographic Institute and European Leisure Software PublishersAssociation. Six addresses in Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfilwere investigated, with one linked address in Brecon. ...

  • News

    SPI takes Eastern Europe rights to 9 Cannes titles

    2006-06-14T15:40:00Z

    Warsaw-based distributor SPI International has announced several acquisitions on the back of Cannes. The company has taken theEastern European rights to the $100m (Euros 80m) Asterix At The Olympic Games (from Pathe), whichwill star Gerard Depardieu, Alain Delon, Jean ClaudeVan Damme, David Beckham, Michael Shumacher,Zinedine Zidane and GiselleBundchen.The distributor also ...

  • News

    SPI takes Eastern Europe rights to 9 Cannes titles

    2006-06-14T15:40:00Z

    Warsaw-based distributor SPI International has announced several acquisitions on the back of Cannes. The company has taken theEastern European rights to the $100m (Euros 80m) Asterix At The Olympic Games (from Pathe), whichwill star Gerard Depardieu, Alain Delon, Jean ClaudeVan Damme, David Beckham, Michael Shumacher,Zinedine Zidane and GiselleBundchen.The distributor also ...

  • News

    Grupo GMR to invest $33m in new Spanish cinemas

    2006-06-14T16:20:00Z

    Grupo GMR, owner of Spain's Cinebox exhibitionchain, has unveiled plans to construct 14 new complexes in cities across thecountry over the next three years.Under the brand Lux Cinemas, the new theatres will offer screening roomscatering to uses beyond feature films, including business meetings andpresentations, and specialized film and video screenings.The ...

  • Reviews

    Suburban Mayhem

    2006-06-14T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Paul Goldman. Aus. 2006.89mins.A sassy but uneven slice of youth-oriented Australiana, SuburbanMayhem is worth seeing chiefly for its memorable main character, sexy,wilful and amoral suburban vamp Katrina, who is brought to vivid life by Kiwiactress Emma Barclay.But although it is carriedforward by a driving energy as loud as its ...

  • News

    Catherine Deneuve to head Venice jury

    2006-06-14T17:10:00Z

    Frenchactress Catherine Deneuve will head the maincompetition jury at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival (Aug 30-Sep 9).Deneuve first caught the attention of the internationalpublic in Luis Bunuel's Belle De Jour, which premiered in Venice in 1967 and won theGolden Lion. In 1998, Deneuve won Venice's CoppaVolpi best actress prize ...

  • Reviews

    Avida

    2006-06-14T00:00:00Z

    Dirs/scr: Benoit Delepine, Gustave Kervern. Fr. 2006. 83mins.Even by thestandards of their eccentric road comedy debut Aaltra, Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kervern's Avida - described in the press notes as a 'metaphysicalcomedy' - is bizarre indeed. Starting out as a Tati-esquesilent farce crammed with off-the-wall sight gags, this wayward tale ...

  • News

    Wood moves from Redbus to Films2

    2000-06-22T15:46:00Z

    UK internet operation Films2, a division of video-on-demand company Filmgroup, has appointed Jason Wood as films specialist.Wood will be replaced as head of sales at filmgroup's distribution arm Redbus Film Distribution by Mervyn Andrews, previously sales manager at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment in the UK. Wood will be responsible for liasing ...

  • Reviews

    Back Home (Bled Number One)

    2006-06-14T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche.Fr-Alg. 2005. 98mins.Algerian-born French director Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche confronts the problems of returnee Maghrebis with BackHome (as it is known in English), his follow-up tominor 2002 festival hit Wesh Wesh. The resultis a strange, loose exercise, part tradition-versus-modernity drama, partrambling filmed diary.Like its orange-hatted hero, the drama keeps switching ...

  • News

    Glover heads the cast of Virgo's latest Poor Boy's Game

    2006-06-15T00:00:00Z

    Clement Virgo has startedprincipal photography in Halifax on his fourth feature, Poor Boy's Game, starring Danny Glover and Rossif Sutherland andfeaturing Flex Alexander and Laura Regan. The film isproduced by Virgo and his long-time producing partner Damon D'Oliveira'sConquering Lion Pictures alongside Chaz Thorne's Standing 8 Productions. Thorneand Virgo share the ...

  • News

    Guantanamo takes top prize at Newport International Film Festival

    2006-06-15T00:00:00Z

    Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross' The Road To Guantanamo won the jury prize for best narrativefeature at the 9th Annual Newport International Film Festival.Kelly Reichardt won the narrative jury prize for best director forOld Joy, Emily Riostook actress honours for Quinceanera, and the ensemble acting award went to the cast ...

  • News

    Kristol to head marketing and distribution at SKE

    2006-06-15T00:00:00Z

    Former Universal Pictures senior executive Mark Kristol (pictured) has beenappointed to the newly created post of president of marketing and distributionat Sidney Kimmel Entertainment (SKE).Kristol will report directly to SKE president Jim Tauber and willoversee all theatrical and home entertainment marketing, including supervisionof print, electronic and alternative marketing and media ...

  • News

    Washington Square lines up productions including Curtis biopic

    2006-06-15T00:00:00Z

    Washington Square Films-based producers Amy Hobby and RussStratton are lining up an eclectic slate of titles headed up by the Ian Curtisbiopic All The Timeand the Hector Lavoe salsa documentary Calle Luna, Calle Sol.Music video director Jamie Thraves will direct All The Time based on Mick Middles and LindsayReade's book ...