Small MPU – Page 836
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News
Warner Bros' Dan Lin founds Lin Pictures, segues into production deal
Warner Bros creative executive and senior vice president of production Dan Lin has founded Lin Pictures and will segue from his position at the studio into an exclusive long-term production deal effective January 1 2008.Lin Pictures will produce all genres of film with the primary focus being on director-driven event ...
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News
Then She Found Me to open Palm Springs Film Festival in Jan
The US premiere of Helen Hunt's feature directorial debut Then She Found Me will open the 19th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 3 2008.Festival organisers have lined up international gala screenings of Fatih Akin's The Edge Of Heaven from Germany, Danielle Luchetti's My Brother Is An Only ...
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News
12 Sundance/NHK finalists announced include Zbanic
Sundance Institute and Japan Broadcasting Corporation NHK have announced the 12 finalists for the 2008 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award.The annual award supports new artists in international cinema and is presented to emerging film directors from four global regions to support them with their next projects.One winner each from Europe, Latin ...
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News
Czech film-makers see boosts in government and private funding
Three recent developments in the Czech Republic -- one private, two public -- will make an additional $12.8m available to Czech productions next year. The government decided in November to increase the budget of the Culture Ministry this year by $5.7m (CZK 100m) earmarked for Czech cinematography. The money would ...
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News
Hammer's first new film to air episodes on MySpace
Hammer Films is set to produce its first horror film in 30 years, and has created a joint venture with MySpace to broadcast episodes of the feature, entitled Beyond The Rave. MySpaceTV will co-produce the project, which will initially air as 20 'webisodes' on MySpace before being released as a ...
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News
Japan's Shinobu Yaguchi returns to director's chair
After a three year absence from feature films, director Shinobu Yaguchi is set to direct a new comedy set in the world of air travel entitled Happy Flight (working title). Based on research conducted by Yaguchi last year, Happy Flight's story is set on a flight bound for Honolulu, Hawaii. ...
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Reviews
Caramel
Dir: Nadine Labaki. Lebanon-France. 2007. 96mins. Nadine Labaki's debut feature is an assured and wonderfully engaging romantic comedy. At times, its storytelling is soft-centred and self-indulgent, but there is enough barbed humour and ironic observation here to counterbalance the more syrupy moments. Caramel's status as festival crowd pleaser was quickly ...
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News
France makes headway in international chart with L'Auberge, Luke
While The Golden Compass was largely accountable for the 14.5% week-on-week increase in the international top 40, two new entries from France made their presence known taking a collective $4.3m.For the full international chart, compiled by Len Klady, click here.Roissy Films' comedy L'Auberge Rouge was the second highest new entry, ...
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News
La Graine Et Le Mulet wins France's Louis Delluc prize
The 2007 Louis Delluc prize has been given to Abdellatif Kechiche's La Graine Et Le Mulet. Cannes Festival president Gilles Jacob, who also heads the Louis Delluc jury, presented the award to Kechiche in a ceremony in Paris on Wednesday - the same day that the film opens in French ...
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News
Hong Kong's Pang Brothers to direct Storm Riders sequel
Hong Kong-based Universe Entertainment is lining up a sequel to 1998 martial arts fantasy The Storm Riders, to be directed by the Pang Brothers (Bangkok Dangerous, Re-cycle). The Storm Riders II (working title) is budgeted at $12m and scheduled to start shooting in March 2008 for tentative delivery in October ...
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Reviews
Garage
Dir: Leonard Abrahamson. Ireland-UK. 85minsThe remarkably assured second film from Lenny Abrahamson, Garage offers a portrait of village life in rural Ireland far removed from welcoming tourist-board cliches. Boasting a superb central performance by Pat Shortt, the film revolves around garage attendant Josie, a slow-witted, almost childlike individual whose marginal ...
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News
Mark Gooder takes over from Davey as CEO of Icon Group
Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey have appointed Mark Gooder CEO of the Icon Group of companies as Davey prepares to step down as CEO of Icon Productions on January 1, 2008 while continuing as chairman of the board.Gooder will step up from his current role as president of acquisitions and ...
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News
Academy unveils 56 songs eligible for original song Oscar
Fifty-nine songs from eligible features are in the running for the 80th Academy Awards' original song category.On January 15 the Academy will screen clips featuring each song, in random order, for voting members of the music branch in both Beverly Hills and New York City. Following the screenings, members will ...
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News
Koch Lorber picks up US rights to Chop Shop
Koch Lorber Films has acquired US rights from Big Beach to Ramin Bahrani's Chop Shop.The company has set a theatrical release at New York's Film Forum for February 2008 followed by DVD roll-out. Earlier this year Koch Lorber released Bahrani's previous film Man Push Cart on DVD this year.Chop Shop ...
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News
Production designer Boyle to receive honorary Oscar
Production designer Robert Boyle will receive an honourary Oscar at the 80th Annual Academy Awards on February 24 2008.The board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voted to present Boyle with the honour 'in recognition of one of cinema's great careers in art direction.'Boyle earned ...
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News
Glickman responds to unconfirmed Chinese block on Hollywood films
Reacting to growing concerns over an apparent blockade of Hollywood films in China, MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman said any such move would represent 'an enormous step backwards' in that country's efforts to establish a legitimate film market.Glickman's comments followed reports that China has told the US majors they ...
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News
Gewecke named president of Warner Bros Digital Distribution
Thomas Gewecke has been appointed president of Warner Bros Digital Distribution (WBDD) and will focus on developing Warner Bros Home Entertainment Group's global partnerships and digital distribution strategies.Gewecke most recently served as executive vice president of global digital business for Sony BMG Music Entertainment and will report to president of ...
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News
Film Department sets Brothers In Arms for March 2008
Mark Gill and Neil Sacker's financing, production and international sales company The Film Department has acquired Noah Lukeman's script Brothers In Arms and hired Marcel Langenegger to direct.The company is targeting a March 31 2008 start date in the Czech Republic and is out to casting on the true story ...
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News
Australia's Abacus Fund backs Geena Davis project Accidents Happen
A film fund aimed at raising $26.4m (A$30m) for the production of Australian films has been formed, with the first beneficiary being Andrew Lancaster's debut film Accidents Happen, starring American actress Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise). Accidents Happen was one of five films which yesterday won investment from the ...
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News
Sony pacts with Tiscali UK for on-demand TV offerings
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) and Tiscali TV have launched a new video on demand service, called Screen Gems, as part of Tiscali's on-demand TV platform in the UK.The service initially includes catalogue TV series such as Bewitched, Starsky & Hutch and Charlie's Angels, with new Sony shows to be ...