Small MPU – Page 918

  • News

    Pathe takes on Automatic's Season

    2000-10-02T17:51:00Z

    UK National Lottery studio franchise Pathe Pictures has acquired the comedy pitch The Season from Automatic Pictures, the LA-based production outfit run by There's Something About Mary producer Frank Beddor. An original idea by London-based commercial and video director Aasaf Ainapore, The Season is currently being scripted by agent-turned-writer Sam ...

  • News

    UniKorea picks up Majidi's Sparrows from Fortissimo

    2008-03-17T11:28:00Z

    Fortissimo Film Sales has sold Majid Majidi's Iranian film The Song Of Sparrows (Avaze Gonjeshk-ha) to UniKorea.Fortissimo's senior vice president of sales & acquisitions Winnie Lau brokered the deal with Unikorea acquisitions exec Yura Kwon.Fortissimo picked up worldwide rights to the film directly after this year's Berlinale where it won ...

  • News

    Korean film school swaps shorts for features

    2008-03-17T11:47:00Z

    The pioneering Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) is to produce four feature-length films instead of the usual shorts this year.The school believes hands-on practical experience of the full-length film-making process will better equip students for work in the industry.CJ Cultural Foundation and CJ CGV have backed the four films ...

  • News

    EFP gives support to seven films at Hong Kong film festival

    2008-03-17T16:17:00Z

    The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) has, for the first time, been included in the list of non-European film festivals eligible for European Film Promotion's Film Sales Support (FSS) initiative.Four European sales agents and one production company are receiving FFS support for the marketing of seven films.These include Stefan ...

  • News

    Activers brings Korean classics to market

    2008-03-17T12:00:00Z

    South Korean sales agent Activers Entertainment is debuting a classics library of Korean films at Filmart.'It's a package of classic films that previously - for whatever reason - have not been sold internationally,' said Monica Han, Activers Global Business manager.'We have already had a lot of interest from buyers, even ...

  • News

    Vietnam Media brings Nguyen's award-winning Little Heart to market

    2008-03-17T12:04:00Z

    Vietnam Media is debuting Nguyen Thanh Van's Little Heart (Trai Tim Be Bong) at Hong Kong's Filmart.The film follows the plight of a village girl when she is sold to a brothel in the city.Nguyen, who was named best director for this film at the Golden Kite Awards, said the ...

  • News

    UKFC commits almost $4m to Edinburgh festival over 3 years

    2008-03-17T12:12:00Z

    The UK Film Council has announced $3.78m (£1.88m)in funding over three years to the Edinburgh International Film Festival.The Lottery funding, coming via the UKFC's Film Festival Strategy, will run until 2010.The groups said the funding will support growth for public audiences as well as industry professionals from the UK and ...

  • News

    Chengtian/Golden Harvest plan Chinese cinema growth

    2008-03-17T15:51:00Z

    Following its acquisition of a major stake in Golden Harvest Group, Beijing-based Chengtian Entertainment is entering the multiplex business with expansion plans in mainland China.Apart from the existing Golden Harvest cinema in Shenzhen, three more theatres are planned in Beijing, Wuxi and Hangzhou.Wuxi's Mao Ye Mall 11-screen multiplex will open ...

  • News

    Theron plots return of Lady Vengeance

    2008-03-17T15:36:00Z

    Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron is to produce and star in a remake of Korean director Park Chan-wook's hit thriller Sympathy For Lady Vengeance. 'We are still in the very preliminary stages. We're working with Ms. Theron and her production company to make the remake happen,' said Chong Choe, director ...

  • News

    Easternlight Films acquires Legendary Assassin

    2008-03-17T15:40:00Z

    Arclight Films' Asian label Easternlight Films has picked up worldwide rights to Wu Jing's action film Legendary Assassin at Filmart.The deal, which excludes Hong Kong and China, is the first between Easternlight and Paco Wong's production company Gold Label Pictures from Hong Kong.The $4m film marks the directorial debut of ...

  • Reviews

    The Desert Within (Desierto Adentro)

    2008-03-17T13:04:00Z

    Dir: Rodrigo Pla.Mexico, 2008. 110 mins

  • News

    Hollow Man beats Billy Elliot to number one spot

    2000-10-02T18:22:00Z

    Highly-anticipated British title Billy Elliot has failed in its bid to take the number one spot at the UK box office over the weekend. The release of Columbia Pictures' Hollow Man crept into the top of the chart by a slim margin of $138,000 (£93,277).However the widely-feted Billy Elliot opened ...

  • News

    Mandarin brings Bruce Lee's kung-fu master to big screen

    2008-03-17T15:35:00Z

    Hong Kong's Mandarin Films is producing a biopic of Ip Man, the kung-fu master of global superstar Bruce Lee, which is set to star Donnie Yen and Simon Yam.Wilson Yip is directing the film which is currently in pre-production, with Sammo Hung as action director. Yip and Yen previously collaborated ...

  • News

    UK Film Council backs Edinburgh Film Fest with $3.8m over 3 years

    2008-03-17T15:04:00Z

    The Edinburgh International Film Festival has become the first beneficiary of the UK Film Council's Film Festival Strategy to support UK Festivals of national and international significance. Edinburgh will receive $3.8m (£1.88m) of funding over a three-year period until 2010.The announcement is a major boost for a Festival that is ...

  • Reviews

    14 Kilometres (14 Kilometros)

    2008-03-17T15:25:00Z

    Dir: Gerardo Olivares. Spain , Bolivia , 2007. 93 mins.14 Kilometres, which documents the woeful journey of three immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa who leave home in search of an imaginary Europe 'where no one dies of hunger', is a well-intentioned effort but seems far more comfortable dealing with the spectacular ...

  • News

    Secret Sunshine lights up Asian Film Awards

    2008-03-17T15:10:00Z

    Korea's Secret Sunshine was the big winner at the second edition of the Asian Film Awards (AFAs) last night, scooping best film, best director for Lee Chang-dong and best actress for Jeon Do-yeon's performance.The AFA prizes follow almost of a year of top honours for Secret Sunshine, which also won ...

  • News

    Dominic Cooper replaces Orlando Bloom in Scherfig's Education

    2008-03-17T15:36:00Z

    Orlando Bloom has pulled out of the cast of Lone Scherfig's new film An Education, which starts shooting today. Dominic Cooper now takes the role after Bloom had scheduling clashes. Cara Seymour has also joined the cast for An Education, shooting now in London, is based on a screenplay by ...

  • News

    Maria Bello to receive award at San Francisco Film Festival

    2008-03-17T15:41:00Z

    Actress Maria Bello will receive the Peter J Owens Award during the 51st San Francisco International Film Festival which runs from April 24 to May 8.The Owens Award, named after local cultural benefactor and longtime Film Society board member Peter J Owens honours an actor whose work exemplifies 'brilliance, independence ...

  • News

    Negativ wins record Czech government backing for Alois Nebel

    2008-03-17T16:43:00Z

    A new project from producer Pavel Strnad (Something Like Happiness, Year Of The Devil) has received a record $946,000 (CZK 15m) in financing from the Czech state film fund for a new project, comic book adaptation Alois Nebel.The move may signal a change in the way the state funding body ...

  • News

    Michael Elson leaves UK's Moving Picture Company

    2008-03-17T16:52:00Z

    Michael Elson has stepped down as head of film and COO at UK-based Moving Picture Company.He will now pursue other film production interests.Christian Roberton, who had been head of production for film at MPC, will take over as head of film.'Michael has played an enormous part in establishing MPC as ...