All Screen articles in 18 July 2003

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  • News

    Summer film drought threatens Italian industry

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Despite new data showing that ticket sales have remained virtually the same in the first half of 2003 compared to the same period last year, Walter Vacchino, head of national exhibitors union ANEC warned that there are "serious problems threatening the vitality of a large number of cinemas ...

  • News

    Korea's Mirovision takes world rights to Doppelganger

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Korean independent group Mirovision has picked up world sales rights to Doppelganger, the next film by cult Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa.The film, which is being targeted for a world premiere at one of the major autumn festivals, is a sophisticated thriller with elements of comedy and black humour about a ...

  • News

    UK Film Council launches digital cinema initiative

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    The UK Film Council's distribution and exhibition fund has launched its much-anticipated initiative to co-fund a nationwide network of digital screens.The National Lottery-fund scheme will invest £13m in setting up 250 digital screens. The screens will be located in approximately 150 existing cinema sites around the country, over a quarter ...

  • News

    Italian film promotion body faces closure

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Italian film promotion body Italia Cinema could be forced to close by the end of the year because of drastic cuts in government funding.Created five years ago by Italy's culture ministry, Italia Cinema is present at all major international film events, where it organises press conferences, provides promotional material for ...

  • News

    Brazilian exhibitors facing bankruptcy

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Brazilian exhibitors may face bankruptcy as a result of a 14-year battle they have waged with local authors rights society ECAD (Escritorio Central de Arrecadacao e Distribuicao). When ECAD raised its royalty charges from the original 0.5% to 2.5% over gross box office receipts more than a decade ago, both ...

  • News

    Chabrol thriller backed by Bavarian fund

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Feature projects by veteran French director Claude Chabrol, newcomer director Marco Kreuzpaintner and Mostly Martha's Sandra Nettelbeck are among those receiving a total Euros 1.35m backing from Bavaria's regional public fund FFF Bayern.Over Euros 600,000 were awarded to Kreuzpaintner's coming of age tale Sommersturm, which will be produced by the ...

  • News

    French strike action causes la Villette fest cancellation

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Following nearly two weeks of peace since striking French artists and technicians caused the cancellation of the Avignon theatre festival, the protesters are at it again. On Monday, it was announced that the 14th Festival du Cinema de Plein Air de la Villette in Paris would be cancelled as well.The ...

  • News

    Germany's Splendid to divest its 80% holding in US subsidiary

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    Germany's Splendid Medien plans to divest itself of its 80% interest in the US subsidiary Splendid Pictures Holdings, Inc. (SPH), subject to approval at the annual general meeting.In statement, the group explained that the step was being taken "due to the currently difficult market environment surrounding the financing of US-American ...

  • News

    VCL Film + Medien reduces 2003 forecast

    2003-07-22T04:05:00Z

    German home entertainment specialist/license trader VCL Film + Medien has reduced its sales forecast for the present fiscal year from the previously announced Euros 25m-30m to Euros 18m.In a statement, the company explained that this has been "due to the stagnating market development within the German home entertainment segment since ...

  • News

    Warner opens Reloaded to strong figures in China

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    The Matrix Reloaded raised its international running total to $431m overthe weekend thanks in part to a decent opening in China that is expected toyield around $1.5m (RMB 12m).Preliminary figures fromWarner Bros Pictures International included an estimated $230,000 (RMB 1.9m) inChinese previews.The distributor said theopening was on a par with ...

  • News

    Nolot's Porn Theatre, Mudge Boy win top prizes at LA Outfest

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    Michael Burke's TheMudge Boy won the OUTstandingAmerican Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award and Jacques Nolot's PornTheatre (La Chatte A Deux Tetes) took top honours for international feature at LAgay and lesbian film festival Outfest 2003, which closed last night with ascreening of Mambo Italiano.In other Grand Jury Awardwinners at Sunday's ...

  • News

    Boxer leaves Artisan for sales job at IFC Films

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    Mark Boxer has been nameddirector of national film sales at IFC Films as part of the ongoing expansionof the company, the distribution division of IFC Entertainment.Boxer will be responsiblefor negotiating and settling distribution deals for all IFC films releasedwithin the US and will direct new sales opportunities for IFC'sdistribution unit, ...

  • News

    Universal's Hulk brings in a further $9.3m

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    Universal's TheHulk did some smashing business asthe number three film at the international box office over the weekend,grossing $9.3m from 3,182 theatres in 29 countries to raise its total to$69.9m.In the distributor's10th biggest opening ever in the UK, the film placed first on $5.8m from 500sites, including paid previews. Universal ...

  • News

    Fox's 28 Days Later crossed $50m worldwide gross mark

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    Fox International'shorror film 28 Days Later raisedits international running total to $21.1m over the weekend. With its domesticgross rising to $33.4m, the film comfortably crossed $50m in worldwide grosses.The chief highlight was a$1.4m number one opening on 242 screens in Spain.Danny Boyle's latestrelease has been released in 31 territories and ...

  • News

    Bruce takes another $10.4m for BVI, Nemo, Pirates start to roll

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    Bruce Almighty continued its solid international run over theweekend, grossing $10.4m to raise its running total to $128.2m.Buena VistaInternationalís (BVI) opened the comedy at number one in Mexico, whereit took $2.9m from 490 screens and recorded the biggest ever bow for star JimCarrey.The film also opened numberone in Venezuela on ...

  • News

    Bruce takes another $10.4m for BVI, Nemo, Pirates start to roll

    2003-07-22T04:00:00Z

    Bruce Almighty continued its solid international run over theweekend, grossing $10.4m to raise its running total to $128.2m.Buena VistaInternational (BVI) opened the comedy at number one in Mexico, whereit took $2.9m from 490 screens and recorded the biggest ever bow for star JimCarrey.The film also opened numberone in Venezuela on ...

  • Reviews

    Kiss Of Life

    2003-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Emily Young. UK-Fr. 2003. 86minsA slender but soulful feature debut from award-winning shorts director Emily Young, Kiss Of Life attempts to grapple with the big issues of life, death, love and family. An overly cerebral approach to what could have been quite emotionally-charged material means that the film feels ...

  • News

    Limited releases and holdovers make The Hulk somewhat green

    2003-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Ang Lee's The Hulk topped the UK/Ireland chart this week but had a less spectacular opening than might have been hoped.The UIP-distributed comic-book film's $5.6m (£3.5m) from 500 venues opening weekend gross included three days of previews at some 450 sites. Without the inclusion of the $2.1m (£1.3m) generated from ...

  • Reviews

    For She's A Jolly Good Fellow (Elle Est Des Notres)

    2003-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Dir: Siegrid Alnoy. France. 2003. 100minsA portrait of a woman ' indeed, a society ' on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Siegrid Alnoy's debut feature is ostensibly a variation on a familiar topic, but quickly establishes its vision with steely confidence. Coolly inventive and rigorous, Alnoy's debut is likely ...

  • News

    Spirited Away wins Cambridge audience prize

    2003-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning Spirited Away picked up the audience award at the 23rd Cambridge Film Festival, which wrapped on July 20.The Japanese animated feature polled over 700 of the 4000 votes cast by festival goers to win the Q103 People's Choice Award. Spirited Away goes on general release in the ...