Screen
05 Jan 2012

View all stories from this issue.

Academy names 10 live-action shorts contenders

The group will advance to the nomination stage when short films and feature animation branch members will select three to five titles.
An Undervalued Master

Ken Russell, who died this week, was one of the UK’s most audacious film-makers so why was he so wildly under-appreciated?
Anchor Bay picks up North American rights to Maximum Conviction

Steven Seagal and Steve Austin star in the action film about a former Special Forces operative and his friend charged with protecting two mysterious female prisoners from a mercenary team.
Breaking Dawn – Part 1 crosses $500m worldwide for Summit

The latest Twilight instalment surged past the half-billion milestone on Nov 29, its twelfth day in release.
Breaking Dawn holds on to US box office crown with $17m

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 stayed top for the third consecutive weekend as the runningtotal for Summit’s tween delight climbed to $247.3m.
Bristol Encounters to change dates for 2012

Below Zero has won the grand prize at this year’s edition which will be the last in its November slot before it moves to September in 2012.
CinemaCon 2012 to fete Timur Bekmambetov

The Russian filmmaker will be garlanded with the International Filmmaker Of The Year Award, as part of CinemaCon’s International Day.
European Film Promotion unveils 2012 Shooting Stars longlist

UK actor Riz Ahmed and Germany’s Anna Maria Mühe are among ten up-and-coming European acting talents selected from a longlist of 23 candidates.
Fox Home Entertainment, Hopscotch / eOne strike pact

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (TCFHE) and Hopscotch / eOne announced the partnership on Tuesday (Nov 29) to cover new releases, TV and library titles in Australia and New Zealand.
Holmes tops US on $40m, MI:4 scores big limited bow

Guy Ritchie’s second episode in the adventures of the high-kicking Victorian sleuth arrived in first place on an estimated $40m according to Warner Bros.
Last Winter

Dir: John Shank. Belgium-France-Switzerland. 2011. 103mins
Letters To Angel

Dir: Sulev Keedus. Estonia. 2011. 114mins
Lionsgate teams with Celestial, Saban Capital for Asian distribution

Lionsgate is partnering with Celestial Pictures and Saban Capital to launch an independent Asian media company focused on branded pay TV channels, content creation, and distribution across Asia.
Lonergan’s Period Piece

The seven year-old film Margaret, which has finally been released by Fox Searchlight, is very much of its time for a number of reasons.
Magic To Win

Dir: Wilson Yip. Hong Kong. 2011. 101mins
Mandate options The Young, The Hot, And The Bothered

Leah Rachel’s original screenplay is a coming-of-age tale about first love that Dan Jinks will produce.
Martin Scorsese to receive SBIFF’s American Riviera Award

Riding high on critical acclaim for Hugo, the master filmmaker will attend the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) on Jan 30.
Melancholia wins NSFC award for 2011

The National Society Of Film Critics anointed Lars von Trier’s apocalyptic drama the best film of the year and named Brad Pitt best actor for Moneyball and The Tree Of Life and Kristen Dunst best actress for Melancholia.
Mickey Liddell launches LD Distribution

Liddell’s new company adds another buyer to the ranks as the industry prepares for Sundance. Former Paramount Clasics co-head and experienced distribution and marketing consultant David Dinerstein is installed as head of the new company which will release Toronto pick-up Killer Joe starring Matthew McConaughey.
Miscarriage of justice doc backed by Peter Jackson wraps

Jackson’s WingNut Films announced on Sunday (Dec 4) that West Of Memphis is complete.
Ophüls Prize Film Festival to include nine world premieres in competitions

Weingartner’s Hut In The Woods will open festival in Saarbrucken.
Red Flag acquires US rights to politics doc ReGENERATION

Phillip Montgomery’s debut doc explores youth disillusionment with the political process and the events that led up to the Occupy movement.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

Dir: Guy Ritchie. UK-US. 2011. 128mins
Sleepwalker

Dir: Oxide Pang. Hong Kong-China. 2011. 104mins
Stephen Daldry to receive Palm Springs director honour

Daldry, whose latest film Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close opens in the US on Dec 25, will collect the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) Director Of The Year Award on Jan 7.
The Ambassador

Dir: Mads Brügger. Denmark. 2011. 94mins
The Flowers Of War

Dir: Zhang Yimou. China. 2011. 145mins
The Price Of Kings – Yasser Arafat

Dir: Richard Symons. UK. 2011. 73mins
The Will

Dir: Christian Sønderby Jepsen. Denmark. 2011. 88mins
Young Adult

Dir: Jason Reitman. US. 2011. 94mins
Zeitgeist Films acquires US rights to Sundance-bound Payback

Jennifer Baichwal’s will screen in the World Cinema Documentary Competition and is based on Margaret Atwood’s bestselling book, Payback: Debt And The Shadow Side Of Wealth.
10 animated shorts on Oscar shortlist

The short list for the animated short film Oscar category has been unveiled.
10 film-makers selected for Tribeca documentary grants

Alma Har’el and Jeff Malmberg are amongst the film-makers to receive grants from the $150,000 Tribeca Documentary Fund.
650 productions claim UK Film Tax relief since inception

Total production expenditure by films claiming the UK film relief since January 2007 was £5.0 billion, of which 75% was incurred in the UK.
72 Days

Dir/scr: Danilo Šerbedžija. Croatia-Serbia. 2011. 93mins
8th Dubai Film Festival unveils line-up

A.R. Rahman is to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award; DIFF to shine the spotlight on German films.
AAM gets Odeon UCI contract in Germany, Italy, Austria

Odeon UCI selects Arts Alliance Media as Theatre Management System supplier in Germany, Austria and Italy
Academy unveils scientific and technical achievement awards

Twenty-eight individuals will take to the stage to receive the awards at the annual Scientific and Technical Awards presentation at the Beverly Wilshire on February 11, 2012.
Academy’s Science And Technology Council swells the ranks

The Science And Technology Council of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences has added four members to its 2011-2012 roster, bringing total membership to 24.
Action comedy Outrun finds US, international buyers

Open Road will distribute Dax Shepard’s caper in the US in 2012 while a slew of deals have closed outside North America following a strong market launch at AFM by Exclusive Films International.
Adrian Smith promoted to evp, general sales manager at Sony

Smith will oversee domestic sales of all of Sony Pictures’ films alongside Sony Pictures Releasing president Jim Amos, to whom he will report, and worldwide distribution chief Rory Bruer.
AFI unveils ten most outstanding films of 2011

The selection is: Bridesmaids, The Descendants (pictured), The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Help, Hugo, J. Edgar, Midnight In Paris, Moneyball, The Tree Of Life and War Horse.
AFM to stay in Santa Monica through 2017

The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) has extended its deal with the Loews Santa Monica following months of speculation over a mooted move to L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles Downtown.
After boom local share in 2011, Norway's 2012 launches include war epic Into The White

Other local productions include Company Orheim, 1980s coming-of-age story.
Alan Yentob joins BBC Studios and Post Production board

BBC Creative Director will be a non-executive director.
Alberto Barbera succeeds Marco Mueller as Venice head

In a surprising turn of events, but which had been largely leaked in Italian wire reports, the board of the Italian Biennale arts organisation in a vote on Tuesday (Dec 27) has not confirmed Marco Mueller in the role of artistic director.
All Things To All Men

Producer Pierre Mascolo and writer/director George Isaac talk family values, leading ladies and A-list actors on the set of their glossy London set thriller All Things To All Men.
Almodovar's Skin leads nominees for Spain's Goya awards

Urbizu’s No Rest For the Wicked garners 14 nods.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

Dir: Mike Mitchell. US. 2011. 87mins
An Oscars What If?

If the Oscars move into January in 2013, the Academy will set in motion a sea change in the production cycle and distribution of prestige titles.
Anchor Bay picks up North American rights to Touchback

The distributor initially planned to make the announcement during AFM regarding Don Handfield’s inspirational drama starring Kurt Russell.
Anchor Bay takes US rights to Seeking Justice

The distributor plans a Mar 16 theatrical launch for Roger Donaldson’s thriller, previously called The Hungry Rabbit Jumps, which also stars January Jones and Guy Pearce.
Angela Galgani earns senior publicity stripes at Sony Pictures

Galgani has been promoted to svp of publicity for Sony Pictures Worldwide marketing and distribution.
Anna Popplewell stars in Passengers

The thriller is the first feature to come out of UK independent production company Ratio Film.
Annual Romanian Film Festival to open with Oscar submission Morgen

In its new home the Film Society of Lincoln Center Romanian festival will feature retrospectives of Liviu Ciulei and Radu Muntean
APSA awards six development grants to Asia Pacific film-makers

The recipients were announced at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards yesterday (Nov 24).
Arthur Christmas tops UK chart in fourth week

Arthur Christmas holds off newcomers Happy Feet 2, Hugo and The Thing to top UK box office on $3m (£1.9m).
ASC unveils quartet of honourees for February gala

Dante Spinotti, William Wages, Francis Kenny and Fred Godfrey will be celebrated at the American Society Of Cinematographers (ASC) awards night on Feb 12 in Hollywood.
Asterix is “not in danger” say producers at Fidélité Films

Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia producers Marc Missionnier and Olivier Delbosc of Paris-based Fidélité Films say film will be delivered on schedule.
Attenborough to front Sky series Galapagos 3D

It will be the fourth 3D collaboration between Sky and David Attenborough.
Australian short film event Tropfest comes to New York

Tropfest, which organisers claim to be the world’s largest short film festival after launching in a café in Sydney, Australia, almost 20 years ago, is expanding to the US and will touch down in New York next June.
Baghdad’s Independent Film Centre launches workshop

The Independent Film Centre in Iraq has launched a workshop in advanced 35mm filmmaking for its 20 students.
Ballroom Dancer

Dirs: Christian Holten Bonke & Andreas Koefoed. Denmark. 2011. 85mins
Battsek, Chinn to produce The Green Prince

Two years after John Battsek and Simon Chinn joined forces with their companies Passion Pictures and Red Box Films, they have a healthy development slate and two feature docs, The Imposter and Searching For Sugar Man in the upcoming Sundance line-up.
beActive launches The Digital Comedy Lab

The project aims to find and mentor new British comedic talent.
Bedlam, Far gearing up for first UK-Israel co-production, Zaytoun

Gareth Unwin’s Bedlam Productions and Fred Ritzenberg’s Far Films are in pre-production on Zaytoun, the first UK-Israel co-production following the newly ratified co-production treaty.
Beginners, Tree Of Life tie for 2011 Gotham best film prize

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) unveiled its Gotham Independent Film Awards recipients in New York last night (Nov 28).
Berlin to open with world premiere of Jacquot's Farewell My Queen

Period drama starring Diane Kruger will be in competition.
Berlinale partners with MoMA for Retrospective section for 2012 and beyond

Festival’s 2012 Retrospective is The Red Dream Factory. Mezhrabpom-Film and Prometheus 1921-1936.
Berlinale World Cinema Fund announces awards winners

World Cinema Fund awards production funding of $283,000 (€210,000), with biggest grant to African feature The Boda Boda Thieves.
Berlin's German selections include 1980s skateboarding doc

Berlinale has added more titles to the 2012 Perspektive Deutsches Kino section, including This Ain’t California, a documentary about skateboarders in 1980s GDR.
Berlin's Panorama selects new films from Gatlif, Hamburger, Schlöndorff

Berlinale unveils first 20 films in Panorama sections, with Indignados and Elles opening Panorama Special.
BFI pledges additional £1m to P&A fund

The BFI’s Board of Governors has approved an additional £1m funding for UK distributors via its P&A fund.
Big Boys Gone Bananas!*

Dir/scr: Fredrik Gertten. Sweden. 2011. 87mins
Black and Blue Films wrap hooligan feature

Based on the true story of a football fan who becomes embroiled in the world of credit card fraud, The Rise and Fall of A White Collar Hooligan has been written and directed by Paul Tanter.
Blessed Benefit wins Abu Dhabi Film Commission's 2011 Shasha Grant

Writer-producer Mahmoud Al Massad reveives a grant totalling $100,000 in addition to development support from the film commission.
Bollywood icon Dev Anand dies aged 88

Indian actor, director and producer Dev Anand died in London on Saturday night (Dec 3). He was 88 years old.
Brazilian filmmaker Oscar Maron Filho dies at IFFI Goa

Brazilian filmmaker and journalist Oscar Maron Filho collapsed and died while attending the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa today. He was 56 years old.
Breakaway Media on board world sales of Dolphin Boy

Mark Austin’s Breakaway Media and Pamela Rosenberg’s Hemisphere Productions in association with First Hand Films are handling worldwide sales on the documentary, which will screen at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January.
Breaking Dawn adds $40m, surges towards $350m int'l

Summit’s penultimate Twilight episode ruled the international waves with ease for a third consecutive session, adding an estimated $40.2m from approximately 9,000 venues in 73 markets for $341m.
Breaking Dawn adds $76m internationally to cross $275m

A solid second weekend for Summit’s latest Twilight episode delivered a confirmed $76m from approximately 10,500 venues in 68 markets as the running total overtook Twilight’s $200m lifetime tally. Bella, Edward and friends should surge past the half-billion global mark within a day or two.
Breaking Dawn eases past $300m int’l box office

The penultimate episode in Summit’s world-beating tween franchise soared past $500m in worldwide ticket sales earlier in the week.
Breaking Dawn eclipses North American box office on $140m

The Twilight express rolled back into town with the fifth biggest domestic opening weekend in history on an estimated $139.5m – a tremendous achievement that ranks one place behind New Moon on $142.8m.
Breaking Dawn registers $291m worldwide launch

The latest entry in Summit’s Twilight series is a smash within its first five days, scoring an confirmed record $152.9m international debut including previews from approximately 9,950 sites in 54 markets and pushing the franchise past the $1bn international and $2bn global milestones.
Breaking Dawn seeks fourth weekend atop int’l charts

Summit International’s tween dream may have raced to more than $350m but it will face stiff competition this weekend from Puss In Boots and Arthur Christmas.
Breaking Dawn tees up dominant international weekend

Early estimates suggest Summit International’s latest Twilight episode is in for a big session as the film grossed at least $8.9m from opening days reported, led by number one debuts in France on $3.8m and Italy on $2.3m.
Brightening up Berlin

The mood in Europe may be bleak, but the Berlinale 2012 poster is more colourful and jolly than ever.
British director Ken Russell dies aged 84

Maverick director of Women In Love, Tommy and The Devils has died in his sleep aged 84.
Buck, Paradise Lost 3 among 15 on Oscar doc shortlist

The Academy on Friday (18) unveiled the features that advance in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards, but Werner Herzog’s Into The Abyss, Steve James’ The Interrupters and Asif Kapadia’s Senna are notable absentees.
Cameron's comments draw dismay ahead of Film Policy Review; Mike Leigh has 'no comment'

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has riled up the British film community today with a statement emphasising that the BFI should support “commercially successful pictures.”
Canada's Fantasia film festival launches international co-production market

Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival has announced details of a new international co-production and contents market that will launch at the 16th edition in July 2012.
Capri, Hollywood Fest to honour The Artist, Bejo, Fassbender

The festival, set to run in Italy from Dec 27-Jan 2, has named The Artist film of the year and will present the award to writer-director Michel Hazanavicius on Dec 30.
CCVF plots Waterfront berth for Indian indies

Indian film fund Cinema Capital Venture Fund (CCVF) has launched a production and financing outfit, Waterfront Films, which will focus on independent Indian movies.
Chapman University's Dodge to build Filmmakers’ Village

The Dodge College Of Film And Media Arts has unveiled details of its $100m live-learn project for film students.
China’s Youku signs content deal with 20th Century Fox

Deal covers 250 titles both new releases and from the Fox library.
Chinese box office up by 30% in 2011

The Chinese box office total gross reached $2.06bn (RMB13 billion) in 2011, up around 30% from 2010. Compared to the 61% growth rate in 2010, the 2011 growth shows some slowdown.
Chinese exhibitors to boycott Zhang Yimou’s Flowers of War

Eight major cinema circuits in China plan to boycott the release of WWII drama after production outfit requests ticket price rise and increased revenue share
Chinese Zodiac stakes out Dec 12 release date

JG Group, Huayi Bros and Emperor Motion Pictures have announced that upcoming Jackie Chan blockbuster Chinese Zodiac will be released one year from today (December 12, 2012) in both regular and IMAX versions.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode to star in Poliakoff drama

Ruby Films are executive producing the 1930s set Dancing On The Edge which will air on BBC 2.
Christian Lemche elected new EFP president

Danish Film Institute’s Lemche takes over presidency of European Film Promotion from Eva Vezer
Christopher Hampton to adapt Ali & Nino

Kris Thykier’s PeaPie Films has acquired the feature film rights to Kurban Said’s novel Ali & Nino (published by Overlook Press).
Christopher Plummer to receive SBIFF’s highest honour

Plummer, who earned a Golden Globe supporting actor nomination for Beginners on Thursday (15), will be the subject of a tribute by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) when he collects the Modern Master Award on Jan 28.
Cinema Tropical Award nominees unveiled

New York-based promotional organisation Cinema Tropical has announced the nominees for the second annual Cinema Tropical Awards celebrating the best of Latin American film production in the last year.
Cinestar pacts with AAM for digital rollout

Digital distribution provider AAM to convert up to 450 screens for Germany’s Cinestar through VPF model.
Cineworld adds IMAX screens

IMAX sites to screen Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol previews
Cineworld appoints Philip Bowcock CFO

UK exhibitor appoints former retail and property chief as CFO
Consortium to back Keanu Reeves’ Beijing-set directorial debut

Village Roadshow Pictures Asia will produce Man Of Tai Chi with China Film Group and Wanda Media Group. Universal will co-finance, co-produce and distribute with the partners.
Creative England launches Talent Development Funds

The Funds, made up of £400,000 of BFI administered lottery money, will go towards the development of feature films and organisations which promote filmmaking activities in the UK regions.
Creativity Media, Made Up North team on The List

Klaus Huttmann scripts and directs the thriller about a lethal website.
Cupellini, Kozole drum up next features at Les Arcs

A host of new and established European talent were discussing new projects at the Les Arcs Co-Production Village this week.
Darling Companion to open SBIFF

The world premiere of Lawrence Kasdan’s film stars Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline and Richard Jenkins and will kick off the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) in Jan 26.
David Yates to direct Ruby's Your Voice In My Head

Harry Potter director David Yates is attached to direct an adaptation of Emma Forrest’s Your Voice In My Head, which has been developed by Ruby Films.
DDA to launch new PR venture with Blueprint

DDA Blueprint will focus primarily on international theatre and TV publicity.
Delicacy

Dirs: David and Stephane Foenkinos. France. 2011. 109mins
Demi Moore, Eric Roberts, Adam Brody join Lovelace

The publicity machine behind the upcoming biopic about the porn star Linda Lovelace has unveiled the latest round of casting.
Denmark’s CPH:PIX prepares Indian film festival

Danish film festival CPH PIX is planning a festival of Indian cinema which will take place as part of the India Today/Copenhagen Tomorrow project in Copenhagen in August 2012.
Descendants, Malick, Fassbender thrill LAFCA

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) announced an eclectic selection in its best of 2011 vote on Sunday (Dec 11), highlighting international favourites A Separation, Poetry and City Of Life And Death.
DIFF announces Arabian Nights line-up

The Dubai Film Festival has unveiled half of its Arabian Nights line-up, which will feature five world premieres and 13 Middle East premieres.
Digital locker UltraViolet launches in UK, next stop Canada

A number of companies have signed up to UltraViolet (UV) in UK, Warner Bros’ first distributor to offer UV-enabled film in UK.
Directors UK extends membership to all screen directors

It is part of the trade body’s push towards becoming the single professional organisation campaigning on behalf of all directors in the UK.
Drafthouse Films picks up Electric Boogaloo

The distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will release Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story Of Cannon Films theatrically in late 2012.
Drive, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy lead London Critics Circle nominations

The London Critics Circle has unveiled the nominees for its 32nd awards with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Drive leading the pack on six nominations each, including best film.
Dubai film festival strikes partnership with MIPTV

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has formed a partnership with contents market MIPTV to strengthen the visibility of filmmakers in the Middle East region by exposing their works to an international audience.
Dwayne Johnson learns Monster’s Hunt Survival Guide

The former wrestling star is attached to star in the comic book adaptation that Simon Kinberg will produce through his Genre Films label.
Edgar Wright to be honoured at first London Comedy Film Festival

The event will run from 26 to 29 January 2012 at BFI Southbank.
EFP's Film Sales Support backs 11 films at Sundance 2012

Titles include UK dark comedy/thriller Grabbers [pictured], sold by The Salt Company.
Egoli Tossell boards Rush as German co-producer

Ron Howard’s Formula One drama stars Daniel Bruhl and Chris Hemsworth.
Emily Watson, Victoria Wood amongst winners at WFTV Awards

The 21st Women In Film And Television Awards took place today in London, with other winners including producer Andrea Calderwood and Jane Frazer.
EMP signs three-picture deal with Ge You

Hong Kong’s Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) has signed a five-year three-picture deal with leading mainland Chinese actor Ge You.
Ending all Expectations

Dickens purists should look away now - David Nicholls has revealed that he has written an alternative ending for his forthcoming adaptation of Great Expectations.
Entertainment One picks up US rights to Special Forces

Negotiated with StudioCanal, the deal marks eOne’s first US theatrical acquisition since it expanded into North American distribution.
Entertainment One, Impossible Pictures sign co-development deal

The two companies will develop a slate of factual television projects for the UK, US and Canadian markets.
Entertainment sinks teeth into WestEnd’s Love Bite

Entertainment Film Distributors picks up seaside-set teen comedy-horror from director Andy de Emmony.
eOne to distribute Remstar Films features in Canada

eOne increases local market-share with multi-year Remstar distribution deal.
Eros to co-produce Tamil action thriller with Photon Kathaas

India’s Eros International has signed a co-production deal with Chennai-based production house Photon Kathaas Productions for the Tamil-language action thriller John: Chapter 1 (Yohan: Adhyayam Ondru).
Eros to open Ra.One on 250 screens in Korea

Eros hoping to replicate performance of a number of Bollywood hits in the territory this year
Expanding Dogwoof finds new investment

UK doc specialist gets £200,000 investment as business sees 30% year-on-year growth.
Expiration Date

Dir: Kenya Marquez. Mexico. 2011. 100mins
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Dir: Stephen Daldry. US. 2011. 128mins
Film Agency For Wales awards £250,000 development funding

23 projects have received development funding over the last year.
Film Bazaar makes debut Market Recommendations

India’s Film Bazaar (Nov 24-27) has launched a new section this year, Market Recommendations, to present the latest Indian product to international buyers and film festival programmers.
Film London announces £43K funding for cultural projects

Film London has awarded funding to 8 projects/organisations through its Cultural Film Exhibition Fund and Community Pilot Fund.
Film London to support productions during Olympics

Film London is launching a centralised online application system and 2012 microsite in a bid to ease the potential disruption to productions caused by the 2012 London Olympics.
Film Movement acquires North American rights to Foreign Letters

Ela Thier’s autobiographical drama is based on her short A Summer Rain and charts her childhood and friendships as a young Israeli immigrant.
Film4 launches online campaign for Dreams Of A Life

The online interactive experience will coincide with Dogwoof’s UK release of Carol Morley’s documentary.
FilmBuff announces second wave of international output partners

The digital entertainment curator’s platforms include You On Demand in China, Nyoo TV in India, Voddler in Sweden, BigPond in Australia, FetchTV in Australia and Rogers On Demand Online in Canada.
FilmDistrict to channel slate through Open Road, Sony

Now that Bob Berney will no longer be in the frame at FilmDistrict, sources confirmed reports on Tuesday night (Dec 6) that company head Peter Schlessel has signed a three-film distribution deal with Tom Ortenberg’s Open Road for 2012.
FilmFunds expands portfolio with Duran Duboi US acquisition

LA-based market research and production service FilmFunds has acquired the California-based company which owns a visual effects and conversion business.
Filming to start on The Good Man starring Aidan Gillen

Phil Harrison’s drama to shoot in Belfast and South Africa.
Filmworks Dubai take rights to best-selling novel Mornings in Jenin

Dubai outfit pick up rights to Susan Abulhawa’s best-selling novel
Finance company 120dB Films unveils $107m fund

The ambitious lender has partnered with an unnamed Fortune 500 property casualty insurance company on the venture which puts it in a position to compete with the larger boutique lenders and commercial banks.
Financiers react to Osborne's new EIS proposals

UK film financiers have given a guarded welcome to UK Chancellor George Osborne’s announcement yesterday of a new scheme offering investors a 50% tax relief for investing in business start-ups.
Finnish drama Never Alone among Baltic Event winners

Films from Finland, Georgia and Hungary were voted by sales agents, distributors and potential co-producers as the most promising projects at the Baltic Event’s 7th Co-Production Market which came to a close on Friday evening (Dec 2).
Flying Blind

Producer Alison Sterling, director Kasia Klimkiewicz and actress Helen McCrory talk about working on Bristol based love story/political thriller Flying Blind, the third film to come out of South West Screen’s microbudget scheme iFeatures.
Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate

Dir/scr: Tsui Hark. China. 2011. 125mins
Focus Features unveils early 2012 digital slate

President Andrew Karpen has announced the films selected for the first quarter of next year that will go out through Focus World, the digital platform that launched earlier this year to champion international filmmakers.
Former child star Susan Gordon dies at 62

Child star Susan Gordon, also known as Susan L Aviner, whose credits include her role as Dorothy Nichols in TheFive Pennies, died on Dec 11 following a battle with cancer. She was 62.
Fortissimo boards Ship Of Theseus

Fortissimo Films has picked up worldwide rights to Anand Gandhi’s The Ship Of Theseus, which is taking part in the Work-in-Progress Lab at Film Bazaar (Nov 24-27) in Goa.
Foundation For Jewish Culture backs six documentaries

The New York-based organisation grants finishing funds to six projects, selected from 80 applications.
Four Colours, Mumbai Cha Raja win Film Bazaar awards

Bikas Mishra’s Four Colours took the inaugural Incredible India award at this year’s Film Bazaar (Nov 24-27), while Manjeet Singh’s Mumbai Cha Raja took the Prasad award.
Fox International makes history, crosses $2bn in 2011

The distributor has become the only company to pass the mark in a single calendar year five times and the first to do so for three consecutive years.
Frank Rodriguez rejoins Searchlight in key sales role

As evp assistant general sales manager, Rodriguez will report to evp of distribution Sheila DeLoach.
Frederic Boyer joins Tribeca as artistic director

The appointment is expected to inject Gallic flair into the festival after Boyer departed his post as artistic director of Cannes Directors’ Fortnight last summer amid acrimony, claiming the French press had attacked his selections before they saw the films.
French cinema admissions hit 45-year, 215 million high in 2011

Preliminary figures from France’s National Cinema Centre reveal 4.2% rise in cinema attendance in 2011.
Gary Frenkel appointed to senior role at Take Part

As svp of digital products and communities at Participant Media’s digital arm, Frenkel will oversee product development as well as “user experience and community formation and activation activities.”
Gary Oldman

To play the disenchanted spy hunter at the centre of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Gary Oldman went back to the classic novel and used its author, John le Carré, as a template.
George Clooney to receive PSIFF’s Chairman’s Award

The star of awards season contenders The Descendants and The Ides Of March will collect the annual honour at the Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala on Jan 7.
GFI unveils ten-strong 2012 Global Lens roster

The latest film series will run from Jan 12-28 at New York’s Museum Of Modern Art prior to a year-long tour including full series screenings and festival screenings in more than 50 cities across North America.
Ghost Protocol enters 2012 as top int'l film on $37m hold

Ghost Protocol soared past $225m thanks to an estimated $37m weekend haul from 54 markets through Paramount Pictures International (PPI) that propelled the running total to $225.3m and ensured supremacy for the third consecutive weekend.
Ghost Protocol leads US holiday weekend on $27m

The fourth entry in Paramount’s Mission: Impossible action franchise climbed two places after expanding wide just before the holiday weekend and added an estimated $26.5m for $58.9m.
Ghost Protocol scores all-time top Hollywood launch in India

Tom Cruise charmed the sub-continent as Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol opened on a sensational INR 26 – approximately $5m – over three days last weekend, according to local distributor Viacom 18.
Ghost Protocol storms int’l box office on $69m launch

Tom Cruise returned with a vengeance as Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol grossed a confirmed $69.4m and pushed Paramount Pictures International (PPI) to the brink of $3bn in ticket sales for the year-to-date.
Ghost Protocol targets $200m heading into New Year

The Tom Cruise behemoth has raced to $169.3m and Paramount Pictures International (PPI) will look to retain its box office crown with strong holiday holdovoer business.
Ghost Protocol, Sherlock Holmes head for int’l showdown

PPI’s fourth Mission: Impossible episode faces its stiffest test yet from WBPI’s Holmes sequel as it reaches $254m outside North America.
Ginger Corbett leaving Premier PR

Industry maven co-founded Corbett & Keene in 1988.
Glittering European Prizes

The EFAs and the BIFAs celebrate their respective constituents’ art and talent in as pure a way as possible, largely indifferent to the Hollywood awards hype machine.
Gore Verbinski’s Blind Wink to create content for Microsoft

The filmmaker’s transmedia production company will make original interactive content for worldwide distribution and includes video games.
Goteborg to welcome Michael Winterbottom, Alexander Payne

Swedish festival to host Arabian programme; eight Nordic films compete for lucrative Dragon prize.
Gravitas Ventures International launches for digital marketplace

Gravitas, a leading supplier of independent VoD content, will broaden its reach in 2012 and to that end has signed a deal with leading Chinese PPV and VoD platform You On Demand Holdings.
Green

Dir/scr: Sophia Takal. US. 2011. 73mins
Greenberg Fund backs new projects including Sarah Polley's Alias Grace

Canada-based Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund English-Language Program has announced its latest Script Development Program grants for 29 projects.
Harrison Ford on board Jackie Robinson project for Legendary Pictures

Ford will play baseball executive Branch Rickey while Chadwick Boseman has been cast as the iconic sportsman Robinson.
High Point takes world rights for Jason Ford's hoodie horror Community

UK urban horror film is in post production.
HMV launches on demand service with FilmFlex

High street retailer finally enters VOD space in bid to combat physical DVD slump.
Hollywood firmament reacts to Globe nominations

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association spread the love among an eclectic circle of awards season contenders, recognising The Artist with six nods, followed by The Help and The Descendants on five apiece.
Hot projects on ScreenBase

Nicolas Bary is preparing his next feature The Scapegoat starring Bérénice Bejo, while Theo Angelopoulos will commence shooting this month in Athens on The Other Sea.
Hot projects on Screenbase

Amit Gupta is preparing the shoot of his next feature Jadoo and Aidan Gillen stars in The Good Man, while shooting is underway on Pablo Trapero’s White Elephant in Buenos Aires.
Hugo

Dir: Martin Scorsese. US. 2011.125mins
Ian George steps in for Chris Hedges to run UK operations of PPI

Chris Hedges exits PPI, Ian George assumes role under Antony Marcoly
Icelandic government confirms new funding for film

After cutting public funding of Icelandic cinema by 35% in the last two years, due to the financial crisis, the Icelandic Ministries of Culture and Finance have now signed a new agreement with the industry outlining a 62% increase of state support from now till 2015, when it will amount to $5.7 million (ISK 700 million).
Icon UK appoints new CEO, business shifts to production

Further changes afoot at UK branch of Len Blavatnik’s Icon Group.
Icon UK shakeup continues as indie teams with Lionsgate on future distribution

Lionsgate UK will ‘distribute and release certain of Icon’s film rights’ in the UK as Icon confirms shift in direction
IFC Films acquires US rights to The Moth Diaries

Mary Harron directed Alliance Films and Ed Pressman’s gothic tale and adapted the screenplay from Rachel Klein’s novel.
IFC Films takes North America on Peace, Love & Misunderstanding

Bruce Beresford’s comedy premiered in Toronto and boasts an ensemble that includes Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Kyle MacLachlan and Elizabeth Olsen.
IFC Midnight acquires US rights to Rites Of Spring

Padraig Reynolds’ thriller stars A J Bowen, Anessa Ramsey and Sonny Marinelli in the story of a kidnapping that falls foul of a mysterious creature.
IFC Midnight picks up US rights to The Corridor from XYZ Films

First-time director Evan Kelly’s sci-fi thriller has won several awards including both the Gold Audience Choice award for Best Canadian Film and AMD award for screenplay at Fantasia 2011.
IFFI to open with Gonzales’ Consul Of Bordeaux

The Consul Of Bordeaux, directed by Portuguese filmmaker Manuel Gonzales, will open this year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which takes place in the former Portuguese colony of Goa (Nov 23-Dec 3).
IM Global snatches rights to spec script Kidnap

Knate Gwaltney’s story centres on a woman who pursues her son’s abductors following a shopping mall kidnapping.
In The Land Of Blood And Honey

Dir/scr: Angelina Jolie. US. 2011. 127mins
India’s Musale flies with Bumbai Bird

Indian director-producer Kamal Musale is currently shooting his debut feature, Indo-Swiss co-production Bumbai Bird, in Mumbai.
Intouchables, I Soliti Idioti lead local comedies charge in Europe

French hit Intouchables leads a number of successful indie comedies in Europe this autumn.
Intramovies takes on Rotterdam selection Legend of Kaspar Hauser

Vincent Gallo stars in Davide Manuli’s postmodern Western.
Intramovies, Sherlock Films to boost Italian films to Spain

The initiative aims to prove that Italian cinema has commercial appeal with the Spanish public.
It’s a zoo around here

Animals take their place on the red carpet this year.
Italy announces new culture minister, film tax credit safeguarded

Despite upheaval and potential cuts in arts funding, film tax credit safeguarded by a parliamentary vote earlier this year
J Martin Willhite joins Legendary Entertainment as general counsel

The partner is appointed to the new post and most recently served as partner at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP.
Jerusalem Film Lab launches this week with 12 projects

Intensive seven month film lab modeled on Sundance, Binger and Turin and created by the Sam Spiegel Film & TV School brings 12 film-makers to Israel this week including Alvaro Brechner, Nadav Lapid, Burhan Qurnabi and Ernesto Contreras.
Jessica Brown Findlay to star in Not Another Happy Ending

John McKay’s Scottish indie comedy is due to start shooting in February.
Jessica Chastain, Howard Shore to receive PSIFF honours

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) has announced its final two honours of the current awards season.
Jim Donovan, Celina Jade board Fangs of War

Canadian director Jim Donovan set to direct reimagining of Bram Stoker’s vampire myth
Jinga enters UK distribution, signs up boxing thriller

First title to be Jamaican boxing thriller Ghett’a Life produced by former boxer Lennox Lewis.
Judd Hirsch joins cast of The Red Robin

Former Academy Award nominee Hirsch is joined by Ryan O’Nan, C S Lee, Jaime Ray Newman, Caroline Lagerfeld and Joseph Lyle Taylor.
Jury Service

Bristol Encounters not only provides an increasingly important platform for short films, it also puts on a great party.
Justice

Dir: Roger Donaldson. US. 2011. 104mins
Kaleidoscope signs urban thriller Victim

UK outfit acquires drama written by and starring Ashley Chin and Michael Maris.
Kashyap conjures up Phantom Films

Indian director-producer Anurag Kashyap has teamed up with three fellow filmmakers to launch a content-driven production outfit Phantom Films.
Kaya Scodelario takes lead in Emanuel And The Truth About Fishes

The Wuthering Heights actress replaces Rooney Mara, who was previously attached to the indie film.
Kevin VanHook to adapt Specific Impulse for Rainmaker

Comic book creator and filmmaker Kevin VanHook will write the screenplay based on the first novel in the sci-fi trilogy by former NASA pilot Charles Justiz.
Khan, Chopra to head cast of Singh’s Qissa

Indian actors Irrfan Khan and Tisca Chopra will star in Anup Singh’s Indo-European co-production Qissa, which is set to start shooting in India early next year.
Kino Lorber takes North America on Putin’s Kiss

Lise Birk Pedersen directed the Monday Production documentary which premiered in the IDFA Feature Documentary competition and is bound for Sundance in January.
Korean hit Leafie sells English-language rights

Toronto-based 108 Media Group pick up Korean hit for all English-language rights.
Kosslick likely to stay at head of Berlinale until 2016

Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick is set to remain at the head of the leading international festival event until 2016.
L’arrivo di Wang

Dir: Antonio Manetti. Marco Manetti. Italy. 2011 82mins
Ladakh to host international film festival

Ladakh, a high-altitude region in the north of India, is set to host its first ever international film festival from June 15-17 next year.
Lamba to star in Belawadi's Pollutant

Indian actor Arfi Lamba will star in Prakash Belawadi’s environmental zombie film The Pollutant, which is taking part in the Co-production Market of this year’s Film Bazaar.
Lance Daly kicks off Life's A Breeze shoot

Fionnula Flanagan, Pat Shortt, Eva Birthistle and Kelly Thornton star in the Irish-set family drama.
Lay The Favorite, Bachelorette among Sundance Premieres

Joining Stephen Frears and Leslye Headland are narrative entries 2 Days In New York from Julie Delpy, Nicholas Jarecki’s financial thriller Arbitrage and Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer. Documentary Premieres includes fresh work from Joe Berlinger, Stacy Peralta and Ice-T.
Le Pacte to launch Odoul’s The Rest of the World at Paris Rendez-vous

Damien Odoul’s family drama starring Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Beart, Marie-eve Nadeau set to premiere at Rotterdam.
Lee Byung-hun to star in Choo Chang-min's Masquerade

Shooting is due to begin on the $8m costume drama for South Korean studio CJ E&M.
Lee Papert named president, CEO of the Dallas Film Society

The new arrival takes over from Tanya Foster and starts work as president and CEO on Dec 5.
Leeds Film Festival to become qualifying event for Oscars

The Academy has accepted Leeds as a qualifying festival and will consider the winners of its 2012 prizes.
Les Arcs co-production village to host new films from Kozole, Cupellini, Savage

Les Arcs hosts 22 titles in co-production village, seven in works in progress section.
Lisa Aschan wins $730,000 production prize in Stockholm

Aschan bags $730,000 award for female directors for next film The Deposit
Love Is Not Blind leaves Immortals behind at China box office

Low-budget local rom-com takes more than $30m in its first week to leave Hollywood alternatives trailing in its wake
LoveFilm signs exclusive streaming deal with Sony

LoveFilm signs exclusive SVOD deal for The Social Network, Salt, 2012, Arthur Christmas in ‘second pay TV window’
LoveFilm, Warner Bros ink UK pact, studio heralds 'second pay TV window'

LoveFilm hits back at soon-to-launch Netflix with multi-year, multi-layer deal with studio, all of Warner Bros available streaming content to be exclusively available on LoveFilm from December.
Lovelace cast bulks up with Azaria, Cannavale, Patrick

Hank Azaria, Bobby Cannavale, Chris Noth and Robert Patrick have joined Amanda Seyfried (pictured) and Peter Sarsgaard as production on the Millennium Films production got underway in Los Angeles today (20).
Lu’s Dream

Dir/scr: Hari Sama. Mexico. 2011. 106mins
Luke Treadaway to Get Lucky

Shooting begins today (Jan 6) on the film about two brothers on the wrong side of the law.
Malick, Kaurismaki, McQueen among Plus Cameraimage competition

Polish festival announces programme, main competition includes The Tree of Life, Shame.
Manchester council signs Production Liaison Charter

Creative England to host film charter signing at the BVE North event in Manchester this week.
Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival, Germany

Winners at the 60th edition of the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival (November 10-20).
Marc Butan said to have joined Annapurna Pictures as COO

The executive producer of The Grey (pictured) is understood to have come on board Megan Ellison’s finance and production house following the recent departure of Rob Barnum.
Margaret Thatcher film gets first response from UK media

Although trade press were not invited to be among them, UK critics and commentators have been ripping up column inches with their reviews and impressions of The Iron Lady starring Meryl Streep.
Mark O'Connor to direct Irish feature King Of The Travellers

The film will explore the traditions of the Irish traveller community, with backing from the Irish Film Board.
Martin Scorsese to receive BAFTA Fellowship

The director will be presented with the Fellowship Award at the upcoming BAFTAs at London’s Royal Opera House.
Meet The Fokkens

Dirs/scr: Gabrielle Provaas, Rob Schroder. Netherlands. 2011. 75mins
Meryl Streep to receive honorary Golden Bear in Berlin

She will be presented with the lifetime achievement award at a screening of The Iron Lady during the upcoming Berlinale.
Metrodome extends China Lion agreement with Magic to Win

UK distributor develops repertoire of Chinese titles with Wilson Yip’s fantasy.
MI4, Hugo, Potter make it on to Academy’s FX longlist

Fifteen films will proceed to the next stage of voting in early January, when the visual effects branch executive committee will whittle the list down to 10 titles.
Miami unveils 10 entries in Ibero-American contest

The films will compete for $45,000 in prizes money at the 29th annual event, set to run from Mar 2–11.
Michael Radford joins SMA Talent Limited

The Oscar nominated British director Michael Radford is currently developing projects for Gaumont and Corona Pictures.
Michelle Williams to receive PSIFF Desert Palm award

The actress is drawing awards buzz for her starring role as Marilyn Monroe in My Week With Marilyn and will collect the actress achievement award at the gala show in Palm Springs on Jan 7, 2012.
MIFF unveils Lexus Ibero-American Opera Prima Award

Six films from Spain, Portugal or Latin America will compete for the inaugural $5,000 award.
Millennium Films acquires Guys Night

The company plans a spring 2012 production start on the story of four directionless men who head off to an island off the coast of New Jersey where supposedly anything goes.
Mission Accomplished

Screen went down to London’s BFI IMAX to check out some early footage of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol explodes at UK box office on £8.2m

Fourth instalment in the MI franchise beats newcomer The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but figures boosted by previews.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Dir: Brad Bird. US. 2011. 133mins
Mister John, Run And Jump amongst IFB backed features

The Irish Film Board predicts that its latest round of funding will generate production activity of up to €38 million.
Mogador turns on Television

Germany’s Mogador Films and France’s Eaux Vives Productions have boarded social drama Television, to be directed by Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Farooki.
Molinare to shift focus away from equity post deals

EXCLUSIVE: London-based post-production outfit Molinare has revealed that its long term strategy will be based primarily around attracting productions through the quality of its work, as opposed to being required to make equity investments.
Moneyball, Hugo, The Artist among 2012 PGA nominees

Categories include the Darryl F Zanuck Producer Of The Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures, The Producers Guild Of America Producer Of The Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures and previously announced documentary contenders.
MPAA announces two key appointments

Cybele Daley is named svp of government affairs and Anna Soellner becomes vp of corporate communications.
My Week With Marilyn, Tinker Tailor lead BAFTA longlist

After the first round of voting, BAFTA has unveiled its longlist for the 2012 Film Awards.
Nat Geo Films segues into joint venture with Hyde Park

UPDATE: Daniel Battsek has transitioned to a consultancy role and will advise a new partnership between Hyde Park / ImageNation and National Geographic Features Group.
Nat Geo, Smithsonian on board for Bedlam's Titanic doc

The feature drama documentary about the sinking of the Titanic will be broadcast in April 2012.
NBR honours Hugo, Scorsese in best of 2011 vote

The National Board Of Review (NBR) on Thursday (Dec 1) anointed Martin Scorsese’s homage to the filmmaking pioneers as its best film of the year and gave the directors award to the man himself.
Netflix inks UK deal with BBC Worldwide

Further UK TV deals expected as Netflix gets set to launch in first European territory.
Netflix signs pre-UK launch content deal with Miramax

Pulp Fiction, Chicago, Cold Mountain, The English Patient among titles on offer when service launches in UK in early 2012.
NetMovies, Miramax sign streaming deal for Brazil

Brazil’s largest online film and TV series subscription service adds Miramax titles to streaming service
Network Releasing picks up Delpy's 2 Days in New York for UK

Network Releasing picks up Sundance premiere from Rezo Films.
New Europe Film Sales boards Rotterdam selection Now Forager

EXCLUSIVE: The co-directors are frequent collaborators Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin.
New Horizons picks up seven titles for distribution in Poland

Arirang, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and Code Blue among new releases planned for 2012.
New work from Lucy Walker, Brie Larson among Sundance shorts

The Sundance Institute unveiled its programme of shorts set to run during the festival from Jan 19-29 2012.
New Year’s Eve

Dir: Garry Marshall. US. 2011. 118mins
New Year's Eve rules sluggish US box office on $14m

The lowest box office weekend in more than three years was distinguished by Focus Features’ spectacular limited debut for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and an excellent limited launch for Paramount’s Young Adult.
New York Film Critics Circle names The Artist best film

Michel Hazanavicius earned best director in a one-two punch for the black-and-white silent film that confirms it as as heavyweight awards season player. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is shut out, even through the NYFCC delayed its vote by 24 hours to screen the thriller.
Newcastle to host slow cinema during March's AV Film Festival

Newcastle will host more than 70 hours of slow cinema as fourth AV Festival (March 1-31) concentrates on the theme of slowness.
NFDC boards Mukherjee’s Tasher Desh

Film Bazaar organiser the National Film Development Corp (NFDC) has boarded Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Mukherjee’s Tasher Desh, one of a growing number of international co-productions on the organisation’s slate.
Nic Crawley to head international marketing at Paramount

Crawley most recently served as svp of international marketing for Walt Disney Studios and commences work immediately.
Nine-strong roster announced for Sundance Film Festival USA

The Sundance Institute has unveiled the line-up for the touring programme of films, now in its third year, that will take place on Jan 26 during the festival proper.
Norlin takes over Stockholm's production grant

Lisa Aschan had been originally awarded the $700,000 prize.
Norway sees 2011 boost in admissions and best results for local films in 36 years

2011 cinema attendance up 5.7% on 2010; national films take 24.5% marketshare.
Nostalgia for the Light picks up Best Feature at IDA awards

Nostalgia For The Light, Senna, Les Blank, Danfung Dennis among winners at Los Angeles event.
Nuclear Family

Dir: Kyle Rankin. US. 2010. 95mins
NYFCC to announce nominations via Twitter on new Nov 29 date

The move from the original date of Nov 28 means New York critics will be able to accommodate Sony’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, which begins its first screenings on Nov 28. Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close however will not screen in time for consideration.
Odeon completes digital transition

Odeon becomes largest cinema chain in Europe to go fully digital
Online versus face time

How can the internet help the film industry at a time when online-only businesses are still struggling to devise effective revenue models?
Out of Africa, Blue Ice, Left Bank developing Mandela miniseries

Out of Africa Entertainment, Blue Ice Films and Left Bank Pictures have started development on Madiba (working title), a six-part miniseries about Nelson Mandela.
Palm Springs to honour Brad Pitt with Desert Palm Award

The star of Moneyball, nominated today for a SAG lead actor award, will collect the acting honour at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) awards ceremony on Jan 7.
Paramount leads 2011 studio int’l share with record $3bn

Paramount Pictures International (PPI) has become the first company to reach the milestone for international ticket sales in a calendar year, a fitting testament to the strategic mastery of former president Andrew Cripps.
Paramount slate generates $5bn worldwide in 2011

Paramount celebrated another table topping performance for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in the week the studio announced its films crossed $5bn worldwide in 2011.
Pathé UK signs first-look deal with Stigma Films

Pathé UK to team up with Matt Wilkinson’s production company; Bradley Quirk appointed as creative executive.
Paul Dray joins LipSync Post from Deluxe

Paul Dray has been appointed producer at London’s LipSync Post.
Paul Massey Named VP Sound Director for Sony Pictures

Six-time Oscar nominee and three-time BAFTA winner Paul Massey will handle theatrical re-recording as the new vp sound director for Sony Pictures Post Production Facilities.
Peter Weir to head DIFF Muhr Arab Features jury

Weir’s last feature The Way Back, was featured in DIFF’s Cinema of the World section in 2010.
PGA announces documentary nominees

The films are Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest, Bill Cunningham New York, Project Nim (pictured), Senna and The Union.
PGA to honour Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut

In The Land Of Blood And Honey will receive the PGA’s 2012 Stanley Kramer Award at the annual awards ceremony on Jan 21.
Picturehouse finds Mihaileanu’s The Source

Picturehouse Entertainment pick up Cannes competition entry The Source.
PictureWorks brings Melancholia to India

Mumbai-based distributor PictureWorks has picked up Indian rights to Lars von Trier’s Melancholia from Scandinavian sales agent TrustNordisk and plans to release it in major urban centre early next year.
Placebo confirmed to play O2 at Sundance London

The inaugural arts event set to run from Apr 26-29 2012 has unveiled its first major music act – apart from T Bone Burnett, who as previously announced will take part in an on-stage conversation with Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford on opening night.
Planet Of Snail

Dir: Seung-Jun Yi. South Korea. 2011. 87mins
Playoff

Dir: Eran Riklis. Germany-Israel-France. 2011. 107mins
Poland's Gotham in Progress rebrands as US in Progress

Industry meeting and works in progress screening event runs alongside American Film Festival in Wroclaw.
Porfirio wins Golden Peacock at IFFI Goa

Colombian drama Porfirio, directed by Alejandro Landes, was awarded the Golden Peacock for best film at the close of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa on Saturday night.
PPI reports $43m int'l holiday weekend for MI:4

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ruled the roost for the second weekend thanks to an estimated $43m haul that drove up the running total to $140m through Paramount Pictures International (PPI).
Private view in Paris

New films from Tony Gatlif, Lucas Belvaux and actor-turned-director Mélanie Laurent will be unveiled for the first time at the Rendez-vous with French film in Paris.
Produced By Conference to take place June 8-10 in LA

The event is supported by the Producers Guild Of America (PGA) and returns with a new presenting sponsor in the form of the International CES produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and will take place on the Sony lot in Culver City.
Production starts in Ontario on First Generation Films’ The Lesser Blessed

Benjamin Bratt stars alongside newcomer Joel Evans and other actors of native descent including Kiowa Gordon and Tamara Podemski.
Protagonist takes on sales for Searching For Sugar Man

Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul’s debut feature documentary will have its world premiere as Opening Night Film of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.
Provincetown Film Society secures grants for festival, Institute renovation

Massachusetts-based Provincetown Film Society has been awarded grants by MassDevelopment and The National Endowment For The Arts (NEA) to support the filmmaking community in Provincetown and Outer Cape.
PSIFF launches Arab Cinema programme

The 2012 Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) announced on Monday (19) a new programme highlighting Arab Cinema as well as films selected to compete for the FIPRESCI Award, New Voices/New Visions Award and John Schlesinger Awards.
PSIFF to honour Gary Oldman with International Star Award

Currently courting awards attention with his acclaimed performance as spy hunter George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Oldman will collect the honour at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) gala on Jan 7.
PSIFF to honour Octavia Spencer with Breakthrough award

The actress has earned admirers for her lively performance in Tate Taylor’s The Help (pictured, centre) and will receive the honour at the gala ceremony in Palm Springs on Jan 7.
PSIFF to honour The Artist director Michel Hazanavicius

The writer-director will collect the Sonny Bono Visionary Award during the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s (PSIFF) awards gala on Jan 7.
Puss In Boots dethrones Breaking Dawn on $46m int'l

DreamWorks Animation’s burgeoning hit grossed an estimated $45.6m through PPI to propel the relatively early running total to $142.3m.
Putin’s Kiss

Dir: Lise Birk Pedersen. Denmark. 2011. 85mins
Raleigh confirms involvement in French studio plan

Raleigh Studios mulling second European studio following opening of Budapest facilities in 2010.
Ralph Fiennes, Kenneth Branagh to be honoured at BIFAs

The two British actors will receive their awards at the British Independent Film Awards on December 4.
Realm Pictures to crowdfund Underwater project

UK based production company Realm Pictures is producing a series of five short films set entirely underwater.
Red Dog snaps up top honours at Australia’s IF Awards

Red Dog was the big winner at the annual IF Awards, held on Wednesday (16) at Luna Park in damp Sydney.
Relativity takes stake in recently recapitalised Senator

Senator will release all Relativity’s upcoming slate as the companies plan to build the German distributor’s presence in the local market.
Restless City, Amos among Bahamas winners

The winners of the eighth Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF) were unveiled on Sunday night (Dec 4) at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.
Ricky Gervais returns to host 2012 Golden Globes

The irreverent British comedian will return to the podium for the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards following his much publicised, controversial turn as show host earlier this year.
Rotterdam competition includes Icelandic thriller Black's Game; Greek drama L

Eight world premieres among the 15 first and second features.
Rotterdam Spectrum's world premieres include new films by Miike, Diaz, Franco

The International Film Festival Rotterdam has unveiled the 72 features in its main Spectrum programme.
Rotterdam to honour Peter von Bagh

Rotterdam will present 11 features and four shorts from Finnish filmmaker.
Rotterdam unveils first 2012 Tiger Competition titles

All five films are debut features, including first 3D film in Tiger selection.
Rotterdam’s CineMart selects projects from Tsangari, Reichardt, Antoniak, Waititi

New films by Kelly Reichardt, Ruben Östlund, Quintin Dupieux, Athina Rachel Tsangari [pictured] and Úrszula Antoniak are amongst the 36 projects to have been selected for Rotterdam’s 29th co-production market CineMart.
Rum Diary, Breakaway bookend Bahamas Fest

A red carpet screening of The Rum Diary starring Johnny Depp will kick off the Caribbean event on Dec 1 as organisers line up 68 films including 42 features.
Russian box office sets new record in 2011

Russia/CIS box office (excluding Ukraine) grows 11.74% in 2011.
SAG unveils nominations for 18th annual awards

The Help dominates the individual categories where the shock omissions are Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Shailene Woodley for The Descendants.
Sales agents, producers mobilise for LatAm market Ventana Sur

Six Latin American films will compete for post-production and marketing funds in Primer Corte, one of several anticipated highlights when the third Ventana Sur market kicks off in Buenos Aires on Friday (Dec 2).
Salmon Fishing In The Yemen to open PSIFF

CBS Films’ recent Toronto acquisition of Lasse Halstrom’s crowd-pleaser will open the 23rd Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) on Jan 5 and Yasemin Samdereli’s Almanya, Welcome To Germany will close the event on Jan 16.
Santa Barbara to honour The Artist duo with Vanguard

Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo will collect the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Cinema Vanguard Award on Feb 4, 2012.
Santa Monica Loews keen to keep AFM in 2013 and beyond

As uncertainty reigns over the future location of North America’s biggest film market, the managing director of Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel said he wants the establishment to host the event after the contract expires late next year.
Screen staff moves: Louise Tutt becomes contributing editor, Wendy Mitchell promoted to head of content

Sarah Cooper becomes senior writer and features coordinator.
Sean Faris joins Cypress Moon’s Bonnie and Clyde remake

Faris will play Clyde Barrow in The Story Of Bonnie And Clyde opposite True Blood’s Lindsay Pulsipher in the role of Bonnie Parker.
Secret Cinema plans London-Kabul event

Event cinema company Secret Cinema is moving into Afghanistan with its first event in Kabul.
Sector 7 becomes highest grossing Korean film in China

Cosmetic surgery rom-com 200 Pounds Beauty formerly held the record for highest grossing Korean film released in China.
SeeFlik online competition to showcase student filmmaking

The online contest will offer two concurrent short film awards including the Judge’s Award and Fans Favorite award exclusively to students.
Serbian Parliament adopts Cinema Law including tax incentives

In the last days of 2011, the Serbian Parliament passed the new Cinema Law which includes tax incentives for foreign productions shooting in the territory.
Sharon Stone, Juno Temple, Wes Bentley join Lovelace

The trio join previously announced Amanda Seyfried in the title role and Peter Sarsgaard on the biopic of porn star Linda Boreman set to begin shooting in LA this month.
Short Cuts

Funding may be scarce in the UK, but as public bodies formulate their talent development plans, Screen discovers that the appetite and ambition for short film-making is greater than ever.
Sid Ganis to advise senior management At Dolby Laboratories

The former president of the Academy Of Motion Picture Of Arts And Sciences has been engaged to deepen ties with the creative community.
Sky Movies on demand app reaches mobile and tablet

Sky Go app adds streaming on demand option for mobiles and tablets
Slamdance announces narrative, doc programmes

The 18th Annual Slamdance Film Festival will showcase 18 competition films in all, culled from close to 5,000 submissions.
Slamdance unveils special screenings, shorts

The roster of narrative special screenings comprises the national holiday anthology Holiday Road, Pema Tseden’s Tibetan-set Chinese drama Old Dog and Bryn Higgins’ UK psycho-love story Unconditional.
Snowtown amongst films in competition at Marrakech

The Festival’s 11th edition will run from December 2-10.
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You

Dir: Roberto Faenza. Italy-US. 2011. 99mins
Sony Pictures extends first-look deal with Escape Artists

The non-exclusive arrangement with Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch’s company will run for another three years.
South West Screen transfers activities to Creative England

Screen South, Screen Yorkshire, EM Media and Northern Film & Media continue to operate as private companies.
Spain passes anti-piracy law to come into effect in March

New official committee will have authority to prosecute copyright infringing websites.
Spanish cinema market share approaches to 15%; Torrente 4 and Breaking Dawn lead box office for year

Torrente 4 [pictured] and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 were the most successful movies last year in Spain.
Spanish government to merge culture, education departments

Spain has appointed a new culture minister Jose Ignacio Wert.
Sparks fly for Kris Marshall, Annelise Hesme

Directed by Gavin Boyter, Christmas-themed romantic comedy Sparks And Embers has started shooting in London.
SPC acquires Nero Fiddled for North America, UK

Sony Pictures Classics to release Rome-set Woody Allen comedy in summer 2012
Steven Zaillian

A-list screenwriter and a film-maker in his own right, Zaillian tells Screen how he adapted Stieg Larsson’s epic novel The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo into the pacy Sony Pictures movie.
Stockholm International Film Festival Awards Gala, Sweden

Winners and attendees at the Stockholm International Film Festival Awards Gala hosted on November 19. The festival ran November 9-20.
Streep for the win

Meryl Streep is always outstanding — but that doesn’t mean that BAFTA and Oscar voters should take her for granted this year.
StudioCanal becomes major shareholder in Tandem Communications

StudioCanal has taken a majority stake in European TV production and distribution company Tandem Communications.This strategic partnership adds to StudioCanal’s ambitions in the international TV market. Tandem will continue to develop and produce primetime ‘event’ programmes (primarily English-language) for the world market, as well as distributing its own productions and third-party productions. Major 2012 Tandem productions are the eight-part World Without End (based on the Ke
Sundance adds four to January selection

Philip Dorling and Ron Nyswaner’s Predisposed joins the Premieres section, while Spotlight welcomes Joachim Trier’s Oslo, August 31st and Paolo Sorrentino’s This Must Be The Place and the late Park City At Midnight entry is Don Coscarelli’s John Dies At The End.
Sundance Institute adds two to From The Collection

Julie Dash’s 1991 drama Daughters Of The Dust and Ben Stiller’s 1994 comedy Reality Bites will play during the festival in the preservation programme.
Sundance London to open with Redford, Burnett on stage

The inaugural music and film festival will open on Apr 26 with an on-stage conversation between Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford and T Bone Burnett, moderated by British author Nick Hornby.
Sundance unveils US, World Cinema competition sections

Todd Louiso’s Hello I Must Be Going, Lauren Greenfield’s The Queen Of Versaillies, Kieran Darcy-Smith’s Wish You Were Here [pictured] and Malik Bendjelloul’s Searching For Sugar Man will open the festival, representing the US Dramatic, US Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic and World Cinema Documentary competitions.
Take Shelter, Artist lead Spirit Awards with five nominations

Film Independent announced its nominees in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning (Nov 29). Fox Searchlight leads the pack on 14 nominations for The Descendants, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Shame, Win Win, Another Earth and Cedar Rapids.
Tatsumi, Habibi scoop Dubai film festival awards

Eric Khoo’s Tatsumi was awarded with best film in the Muhr AsiaAfrica competition at this year’s Dubai International Film Festival (Dec 7-14), while Susan Youssef’s Habibi took best film in the Muhr Arab section.
TF1 to unveil new Michel Leclerc picture at Paris Rendez-vous

Company will also theatrically screen first footage of Claude Miller’s Thérèse Desqueyroux, which has already racked up slew of sales.
Thanksgiving audiences reward Twilight with $42m US hold

The Twilight instalment boosted its running total to $22.1m after the second weekend, holding off a trio of family-friendly entries over Thanksgiving led by The Muppets (pictured).
The Darkest Hour

Dir: Chris Gorak. US-Russia. 2011. 89mins
The Film Sales Company embraces Back To Your Arms

Andrew Herwitz has acquired worldwide sales rights to Lithuania’s official Oscar submission.
The Gerber Syndrome

Dir/scr: Maxì Dejoie. Italy. 2010. 85mins
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Dir: David Fincher. US. 2011. 158mins
The Girls In The Band

Dir: Judy Chaikin. US. 2011. 86mins
The Hunter earns 14 nominations in AACTA film awards

Daniel Nettheim’s The Hunter has earned 14 nominations in the newly established Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, with period drama The Eye Of The Storm following closely behind with 12.
The Iron Lady

Dir: Phyllida Lloyd. UK-France. 2011. 104mins
The Muppets

Dir: James Bobin. US. 2011. 110mins
The Pope’s European tour

One film, 15 different campaigns across Europe. At the Les Arcs Co-production Village in December, several distributors revealed their release strategies for Habemus Papam. Wendy Mitchell reports
The Price of Sex

Dir/scr: Mimi Chakarova. US. 2011. 73mins
The Sitter

Dir: David Gordon Green. US. 2011. 81mins
The Tate Modern of cinemas?

The attic bar of the new Hackney Picturehouse was packed to the rafters last night for the cinema’s opening party.
Thirty-nine songs vie for Academy attention

On Jan 5 2012 voting members of the music branch in Los Angeles will view clips featuring each song, in random order, prior to determining the nominees by an averaged point system of voting.
Tom Cruise eyes international rule through MI:4

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol arrives through PPI in around 40 territories this weekend and looks the most likely candidate to usurp stablemate Puss in Boots.
Toronto critics honour Monsieur Lazhar, Tree of Life

Other winners include Attack The Block and Take Shelter.
Toronto critics honour Tree Of Life with best film, director

Terence Malick’s treatise on faith, family and mortality emerged victorious on Wednesday (Dec 14) as the Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) announced its choices.
Tribeca Film Institute announces $150,000 in grants

The Institute has selected 10 emerging filmmakers to receive a total of $150,000 in grants towards their projects after receiving 630 submissions from more than 40 countries.
TT3D sells 34,000 DVDs in two days

Entertainment One is releasing the DVD as part of a new home entertainment relationship with CinemaNX.
Twilight breaks new ground in UK after $22m (£13.9m) launch

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn posts franchise best $22m (£13.9m) opening in UK from only three days.
Twilight Portrait

Dir: Angelina Nikonova. Russia. 2011. 105mins
Twilight Portrait picks up Russian press award, director writing New York-set comedy

Writer-director Angelina Nikonova to team again with Twilight Portrait star and co-writer Olga Dykhovichnaya.
Tyldum to direct Vendome’s What Happened To Monday?

Morten Tyldum, the Norwegian filmmaker behind his country’s all-time box office smash Headhunters (pictured), will direct the futuristic thriller about identical septuplet brothers in a society where siblings are outlawed.
UIP: The comeback?

The dramatic reorganization of Paramount Pictures International, which will see 80 people lose their jobs in the UK, raises big questions for all the studios’ international businesses.
UK's Strictly Come Dancing finale comes to cinemas in 3D

The season finale of popular BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing will air live in 3D in a number of UK cinemas.
Universal's centennial plans include restoring 13 classic titles

Universal Pictures is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2012, and has announced centennial celebrations including restoration plans for classic titles and unveiling a new logo [pictured].
UPIP shakeup continues as Clare Wise leaves

EXCLUSIVE: Universal continues to pare back international production division as evp leaves company
Vaizey promotes inward investment in LA

On a whistlestop tour of Los Angeles, UK culture minister Ed Vaizey has been meeting with studio heads in a bid to encourage US films to shoot in the UK, in the light of the recent extension of the UK film tax relief.
Ventana Sur: INCAA, ANCINE renew fund for 2012

The film institutes of Argentina and Brazil will once again offer a total of $800,000 towards the production budgets of four projects that advance through the selection process set to launch in late February.
Ventana Sur: producers sound alarm over Eurozone crisis

The Latin American industry should place less reliance on Europe as a co-production partner in the wake of economic woes, attendees at the Buenos Aires market heard on Friday (Dec 2).
Vertice appoints new CEO Manuel García-Durán as share price booms

New CEO says goal is to foster international activity.
Viola Davis to receive Santa Barbara honour

The star of The Help will collect the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Outstanding Performer Of The Year Award on Jan 27, 2012.
Wajda begins shoot on Walesa biopic

On Thurs (Dec 1), Andrzej Wajda will start filming his Lech Walesa biopic.
War Horse

Dir: Steven Spielberg. US. 2011. 146mins
We Bought a Zoo

Dir: Cameron Crowe. US. 2011. 124mins
Wiggin, Content & Co to launch joint venture

UK media law firm Wiggin is teaming up with media consultancy Content & Co to create a resource for companies wanting to expand into the digital market.
Wild Bunch readies busy Rendez-vous slate, including new Donzelli film

Wild Bunch to launch new films from Valerie Donzelli [pictured], Gilles Bourdos and Xavier Giannoli as well as debut pictures, Regis Roinsard’s Romain Duris-starring Populaire and Helene Fillières’ Tied.
Wild Bunch signs three-year output deal with Twisted

Two features planned for first year under the deal with Saw production company.
Wingard, Swanberg among Sundance Midnight line-up

Sundance organisers announced on Dec 1 the out-of-competition sections Spotlight, Park City At Midnight, NEXT <=> and New Frontier.
Wolfgang Braun steps down as head of StudioCanal Germany

Wolfgang Braun, chairman and CEO at StudioCanal in Germany since July 2009, will exit the company on Jan 1, 2012.
Women directors take top prizes at Dubai Film Connection

Two projects from women directors – Katia Jarjoura’s The Eye Of The Devil and Najwa Najjar’s [pictured] Eyes Of A Thief – were presented with DIFF awards at this year’s Dubai Film Connection (DFC).
Wrekin Hill, NECA team up for Spurlock Comic-Con doc

Morgan Spurlcok’s Comic-Con Episode IV – A Fan’s Hope will open theatrically in spring 2012 in conjunction with a multi-city tour following the joint acquisition.
Young Adult to receive PSIFF Vanguard Award

The Palm Springs International Film Festival’s (PSIFF) annual honour comes in recognition of the “outstanding creative ensemble” on Jason Reitman’s dark comedy.
Zurich Film Festival launches international music competition

The five best compositions will be performed by the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich, as part of next year’s film festival.

Screen05 Jan 2012

Screen
05 Jan 2012