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All articles by Staff reporters – Page 33
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Universal reclaims international DVD distribution
Reacting to the phenomenal growth of the DVD market worldwide, Universal Pictures International (UPI) has announced the reversion of DVD distribution rights from Columbia Tri-Star Home Video, as a three-year agreement between the two studios comes to an end.Under the 1999 deal CTHV acquired international DVD distribution rights to Universal ...
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Messier steps down from Vivendi Universal
Jean-Marie Messier has exited his post as chairman of Vivendi Universal following a board meeting yesterday, according to widespread, but still officially unconfirmed, reports.French daily newspaper Le Monde said that Messier had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to quit his position, but that negotiations concerning his severance package could delay an official ...
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BrekFest celebrates film soundtracks
The importance of soundtracks to film will be the focus of the BrekFest Film & Music Festival to be held on Sunday 4 August at the Valhalla Cinema Glebe, Sydney.The festival is a one-day event that involves an industry discussion forum, short film and music video screenings and live soundtrack ...
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Shaolin Soccer is still the talk of the town
One of the hottest topics of conversation at the Hong Kong international film & TV market (FilMart) is not the level of deal-making at the event, or even the forthcoming World Cup final, but the enduring box-office success of local hit comedy Shaolin Soccer.As World Cup fever continues to dominate ...
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Stark contrast in 2002 cinema admissions across Europe
Following news that 2002's US box office is running some 20% ahead of last year, results from European territories are revealing some stark contrasts in box office fortunes for the first five months of this year.According to the Danish Film Institute, 2002 could be the most profitable in 20 years ...
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Polish media giant prepares major floatation
Polish media giant ITI Holdings S.A. is to launch an initial public offering of up to 48% of its shares, making it the biggest float on the Warsaw market for two years.The company revealed last month that it was planning to raise between $80m and $130m through the IPO to ...
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Mexico City exhibitor Cinemex sold to Onex Corp and Oaktree
Onex Corp of Toronto and Los Angeles-based investment firm Oaktree Capital Management have acquired top Mexico City exhibitor Grupo Cinemex for approximately $295m. Cinemex co founder Matthew Heyman, who was closely involved in the transaction, has resigned from his post as co-chief executive officer. "I have ...
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Alan Parker rallies industry to develop skills strategy
Alan Parker, chairman of UK support body, the Film Council, has called on the film industry to support a major research project that will inform a new and comprehensive skills strategy for the sector.Parker, whose role at the Film Council reflects his support for skills and training in the industry, ...
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Disney, Admira team up on Mexican-set chick flick
Miravista, thefledgling co production venture created by Walt Disney's Latin Americanoperation and Telefonica Spain's Admira, have signed up Argentine-born LosAngeles resident Gabriela Tagliavini to direct its debut feature, Ladies'Night. A co production with Mexico's Televisa and ArgosComunicacion, the $1.5m - $2m romantic comedy is scheduled to start principalphotography this fall. ...
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Tavernier's latest finds safe passage in US with Empire
Empire Pictures, the NewYork-based art-house distributor that released Patrice Chereau'sBerlinale Golden Bear-winner Intimacy unrated in the US last year, has acquired American rights to anotherBerlin Film Festival award-winning French title, Bertrand Tavernier's Laissez-Passer.The deal was confirmedlast week by Empire Pictures president Edmondo Schwartz and John Kochman,director of international sales at ...
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Worldwide film spending predicted to jump by $20bn by 2006
Global spending on filmedentertainment will expand at a promising 5.7 percent compound annual growthrate over the next five years, increasing from $59bn in 2001 to $79bn in 2006,predicts PricewaterhouseCoopers as part of its latest five-year outlook reporton the worldwide media and entertainment sector.Fueling that growth willbe strong box office receipts, ...
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Japon returns from Cannes with kudos and contracts
Mexican director Carlos Reygadas' feature debut, Japon, returned from Cannes with more than just a Golden Camera Special Jury Mention, it also secured sales contracts for twelve territories.Screened in a longer version at this year's Rotterdam Festival, Japon was picked up there for international sales by French-German producer and sales ...
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UK cinema advertising bucks downward trend as ticket sales surge
The UK's Cinema Advertising Association is predicting that cinema ticket sales will reach 174m by year's end, an increase of 11.5% on 2001's 30-year record. In addition the UK's cinema advertising sector is growing rapidly, with last years' market up by some 28% - despite a 2.6% downturn in the ...
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IFC aims to Sex up Breillat's North American appeal
IFC Films has confirmedits acquisition of all North American rights to Catherine Breillat's Sex IsComedy, the well-received OpeningNight selection of this year's Directors' Fortnight in Cannes which ithopes will introduce the provocative French director to her widest statesideaudience yet.The acquisition wasannounced Thursday by Bob Berney, senior vice president of marketing ...
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Kinepolis Group's Albert Bert dies, aged 74
Albert Bert, co-chairman of the board of directors of the Kinepolis Group died on 21 May 2002 aged 74. Bert was widely acknowledged as one of the innovators of how movie theatres are operated in Belgium. In the sixties, he took over the Cinema Majestiek in Harelbeke from his father. ...
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Real Women have deals too
A number of internationaltheatrical distributors have bought local territorial rights to HBO Films' RealWomen Have Curves, even though theaward-winning made-for-cable production will not be seen in US theatres.Among the buyersannounced yesterday by the pay-TV networks sales arm, HBO Enterprises, were MosaicEntertainment, which bought UK rights in association with Optimum Releasing;Italy's ...
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Focus acquires The Pianist from VU stablemate StudioCanal
Focus, Vivendi Universal's new speciality label has acquired US and select international distribution rights to Cannes Palme d'Or winner The Pianist from stablemate StudioCanal. Focus has scheduled a December release for the film in the US, according to a statement from Focus co-presidents David Linde and James Schamus.The English-language feature, ...
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Wildside takes Tongan Ninja
France's Wildside Films, the distributor headed by Manuel Chiche, has picked up Tongan Ninja from the New Zealand Film Commission. The off-beat martial arts comedy previously went to Vision Africa for South Africa and to Pacific Entertainment for Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore and to Sar-an for Turkey.
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Gala brings Trespasser to the UK
Gala Films has nabbed all UK rights to Beto Brant's The Trespasser (O Invasor), winner of the Sundance Best Latin American feature this year. Brazilian international sales agent Grupo Novo closed the deal with the arthouse distributor today in Cannes. According to Grupo Novo sales chief Alfredo Calvino, Gala Films ...
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Pardue, Carlyle tempted by Pandora
Kip Pardue and Robert Carlyle are in negotiations to star and William Malone (House On Haunted Hill) to direct psychological thriller Tempting Pandora being sold - appropriately - by Pandora. Meanwhile Pandora's sales head Sebnem Askin has closed a range of deals for the film including to M6/SND in France, ...